Online history course

The Roles of Medieval and Tudor Women : MC10

With historian Toni Mount

12-lesson course 5 hours 10 minutes Audio / Text

About this course

Discover the remarkable lives of medieval and Tudor women, from housewives and traders to noblewomen, and explore how they worked, raised families and shaped their world.

What was life really like for women in medieval and Tudor England? Beyond the queens and noblewomen who appear in history books, countless women worked, raised families, ran businesses and navigated a society that placed strict expectations on their lives.

Join historian Toni Mount as she explores the experiences of women from different walks of life, from peasant wives and female traders to wealthy ladies and religious women. Discover their daily responsibilities, their opportunities and limitations, and the ways they shaped the communities in which they lived.

Using historical evidence to look beyond familiar stereotypes, this course reveals the realities of women's lives across the medieval and Tudor periods, uncovering stories that bring the past vividly to life.

12 focused lessons

Course content

  1. 01

    Lesson 1 - Medieval Housewives: Caring for Your Husband

    Discover the daily responsibilities of medieval housewives, from cooking and cleaning to shopping and caring for their families, using evidence from contemporary sources.

  2. 02

    Lesson 2 - Medieval Housewives: Childcare, Food and Drink

    Explore how medieval women protected and raised their children, grew and purchased food, prepared meals and managed household servants.

  3. 03

    Lesson 3 - Peasant Women: Country Women in Fact and Fiction

    Examine the lives, rights and responsibilities of peasant women through historical records and medieval literature.

  4. 04

    Lesson 4 - Peasant Women: Effects of the Black Death and Manor Courts

    Discover how the Black Death transformed rural communities and what manor court records reveal about the challenges faced by peasant women.

  5. 05

    Lesson 5 - Women in Trade: Silkwomen and Shopkeepers

    Meet the women who worked as silkwomen, shopkeepers, blacksmiths and bell-founders, and discover their contributions to medieval commerce.

  6. 06

    Lesson 6 - Women in Trade: Femmes Soles, Femmes Couvertes and Less Respectable Traders

    Explore women's legal and commercial status and the varied occupations of female traders, including hucksters, regrators and prostitutes.

  7. 07

    Lesson 7 - Ladies of Rank: The Literary Ideals

    Discover the ideals of medieval noblewomen presented in literature and chivalry, and compare them with their responsibilities as wives, mothers and landowners.

  8. 08

    Lesson 8 - Ladies of Rank: Real Lives, Sumptuary Laws and Fashion

    Examine the experiences of noblewomen, the expectations imposed upon them and the clothing regulations that reinforced social distinctions.

  9. 09

    Lesson 9 - Women and the Church: Religious Attitudes Towards Women

    Explore the Church's conflicting attitudes towards women, from Eve and the Virgin Mary to the experiences of nuns and religious laywomen.

  10. 10

    Lesson 10 - Women and the Church: Religious Change

    Investigate women's changing religious experiences through figures such as Margery Kempe and Cecily Neville, and the impact of religious reform.

  11. 11

    Lesson 11 - Tudor Wives: Childbirth and Childcare

    Discover the dangers of pregnancy and childbirth and how medieval and Tudor women cared for and educated their children.

  12. 12

    Lesson 12 - Tudor Wives: 'A Woman's Work Is Never Done!'

    Explore the demanding daily routines of Tudor housewives, changes in household work and the impact of male unemployment on women traders.

Everything you need

What is included

  • 310minutes of course material (5 hours 10 minutes)
  • 12lessons
  • Streaming audio
  • Downloadable audio
  • Downloadable transcripts
  • Optional quizzes
  • Further reading
  • End-of-course certificate

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Enrol in this course

Course price$49 USD

Approximately £36.70 GBP / €43.80 EUR / A$69.80 AUD. Converted prices are estimates; payment is charged in USD.

  • Lifetime course access
  • Study at your own pace
  • Start whenever you are ready
  • Available internationally

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Toni Mount

Meet your historian

Toni Mount

Toni Mount is a historian, author and experienced history teacher specialising in medieval England, particularly the lives of ordinary people, medieval medicine and the Wars of the Roses.

She earned her research MA from the University of Kent in 2009, studying a medieval medical manuscript held at the Wellcome Library in London. She also holds a First-class Honours degree and a Diploma in European Humanities from the Open University, as well as a Certificate in Education from the University of Greenwich.

Toni has written numerous books on medieval history, including The Medieval Housewife & Other Women of the Middle Ages, Dragon's Blood & Willow Bark: The Mysteries of Medieval Medicine, Everyday Life in Medieval London and Richard III: King of Controversy. She is also the author of the Sebastian Foxley Medieval Mystery series.

Her research brings the medieval world to life, combining historical scholarship with fascinating details about the people who lived, worked and struggled through the Middle Ages.

View historian profile

Learner perspectives

Course reviews

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Roles of Medieval and Tudor Women

It was fascinating!! I loved listening.

Rebecca Burrington February 12, 2019

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The Roles of Medieval and Tudor Women

I really enjoyed the course because I feel like I know so much more about women in the medieval and Tudor period, as I don't think there is enough information readily available about them.

Rebecca Morris November 29, 2019

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Roles of Medieval and Tudor Women

I enjoyed the course very much, especially how each lesson built on the previous lessons. I learnt things about this time that I hadn’t heard of before. I suspected that women had to work very hard and this course confirmed that.

Alana Ask April 5, 2020

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Roles of Medieval and Tudor Women

This course was very interesting. It really gave insight into what life was like for women in this time.

Jaime Saranczak April 5, 2020

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I am having fun

I am enjoying the course as they are filling in some blanks, I did recreational history at Kentwell Hall for 30 years and am OK on the Tudor stuff but I felt I had gaps in the early stuff, so am using the course as a jump-off point, and I am having fun.

Michael September 1, 2020

Before you begin

Frequently asked questions

Is there a guarantee?

Yes. Please see our Guarantees page for full details.

Do I need to complete the quizzes?

No. The quizzes are optional, but they're a useful and enjoyable way to test your knowledge and reinforce what you've learned.

How long does the course take?

The course contains 5 hours and 10 minutes of audio lectures across 12 lessons. You can stream or download the lectures and listen at your own pace. You'll have lifetime access.

Do I need to buy any books or extra materials?

No. The audio lectures and downloadable transcripts provide everything you need. A further reading list is included if you'd like to explore the subject in greater depth.

When does the course start?

You can start at any time after enrolling. The course is entirely online, with no fixed start date or deadlines.