Slide 1Slide 2Slide 3Slide 4Slide 5Slide 6Slide 7Slide 8Slide 9Slide 10Slide 11Slide 12WOMEN IN KIEVAN RUS’WOMEN IN KIEVAN RUS’TRADITIONAL VIEWS & SOURCES Most sources relatively silent about women Princess Olga singular exceptionPrincess Olga burning the DrevliansWOMEN IN KIEVAN RUS’ATTITUDES ABOUT WOMEN Pre-Christian society Women afforded power/respect through reproductive role Some matrilineal tribes But men still controlled societyWOMEN IN KIEVAN RUS’ATTITUDES ABOUT WOMEN Christian Kiev Increased subjugation & misogyny Church promoted 2 views:• GOOD women• EVIL womenWOMEN IN KIEVAN RUS’PATRIARCHAL STRUCTURE Establishment of state brought public & private hierarchy All people loyal subjects of Grand Prince Women & children had similar obligation to men Men received major social, political, economic benefitsWOMEN IN KIEVAN RUS’PATRIARCHAL STRUCTURE Traditional interpretation: Men ran show, women excluded from public life Women inferior & subordinate Assumed women accepted inferiority Relegated to domesticityWOMEN IN KIEVAN RUS’SOURCES OF WOMEN’S POWER/FREEDOM Reproductive roles Complete control over childbirth & childrearing Still much association with magic/sorceryWOMEN IN KIEVAN RUS’ Economic roles Labor essential to survival of peasant household  Could run estates/businesses in absence of husbands Often controlled household financesSOURCES OF WOMEN’S POWER/FREEDOMWOMEN IN KIEVAN RUS’SOURCES OF WOMEN’S POWER/FREEDOM Sexuality Women’s sexuality controlled but protected  All rape victims compensated directly/ burden of proof on accused Loss of virginity did not make women unmarriageableWOMEN IN KIEVAN RUS’SOURCES OF WOMEN’S POWER/FREEDOM Property rights Had own inheritance: “portions”  Provisions made for widows Could buy, sell, own land & slavesWOMEN IN KIEVAN RUS’SOURCES OF WOMEN’S POWER/FREEDOM Elder women’s rights Accorded much respect, authority, prestige Had complete authority over other women in household Could become head of household (in absence of male)WOMEN IN KIEVAN RUS’SOURCES OF WOMEN’S POWER/FREEDOM Other sources Folk healers  Convents Resistance to male