Christine de Pizan
Who was Christine de Pizan?
French poet and author (1364 – c. 1430)
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Christine de Pizan (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Christine de Pizan (1364–1430) was a writer in medieval Europe known for her significant impact and productivity. Born Cristina da Pizzano in Venice in September 1364, her family moved to France in her childhood when her father, Tommaso da Pizzano, became the court astrologer for King Charles V. Growing up, she enjoyed a privileged and educated upbringing, which was rare for women at that time, and she learned to read and write in an environment that valued education and literature.
Her life took a dramatic turn when, at 25, she was widowed and had to support her three children, her mother, and a niece. Instead of remarrying, she made the groundbreaking choice to earn a living through writing, becoming the first known woman in Europe to do so entirely on her own. She became a professional writer at the French court, working for King Charles VI and notable nobles like Louis I of Orleans, Philip the Bold of Burgundy, and his son John the Fearless.
Christine's work was vast in both quantity and variety, including poetry, prose, biography, philosophy, politics, and religious writings. She produced over twenty major works, covering topics from allegorical poetry to treatises on governance, military strategy, and moral teachings. Her writings showcased her deep knowledge of classical literature, current politics, and theology, marking her as one of the most educated writers of her time.
Her most famous works, The Book of the City of Ladies and The Treasure of the City of Ladies, defended women's intellectual and moral strengths. Written during her time with John the Fearless of Burgundy, these texts opposed misogynistic views by highlighting historical examples of noble and skilled women. Her analyses had a lasting effect on French court culture and continued to be read throughout the Renaissance, with her advice for nobility published until the 16th century. Christine spent her last years in the Abbey of Poissy and died around 1430, leaving behind a legacy that challenged medieval views of women's roles and abilities.
Before Fame
Christine de Pizan's journey to becoming a respected writer started with personal loss that pushed her into a new role uncommon for women in medieval times. She was born into an educated Italian family that relocated to the French court when her father became the royal astrologer. Christine received an exceptional education for a woman of her era. At fifteen, she married Étienne du Castel, a royal secretary, and seemed set for a typical noble life.
Her shift to a professional writing career came when she became a widow at twenty-five, with the financial responsibility of providing for her extended family. Instead of remarrying or joining a convent, which were the usual paths for widowed noblewomen, Christine decided to support her family by writing. This choice was nearly unheard of in medieval Europe, where women rarely worked as independent authors and almost never made a living solely from their writing.
Key Achievements
- First European woman known to earn her living entirely through professional writing
- Authored over twenty major literary works spanning poetry, philosophy, biography, and political theory
- Wrote 'The Book of the City of Ladies,' one of the earliest systematic defenses of women's intellectual capabilities
- Served as court writer to multiple French royals including King Charles VI and the Dukes of Orleans and Burgundy
- Created influential works on governance and military strategy that remained authoritative texts through the Renaissance
Did You Know?
- 01.She participated in the first known literary debate about women's roles, the 'Querelle du Roman de la Rose,' defending women against misogynistic attacks in popular literature
- 02.Christine wrote the first known biography of King Charles V of France, titled 'Le Livre des fais et bonnes meurs du sage roy Charles V'
- 03.Her son Jean du Castel became a successful courtier and diplomat, serving in England and helping to arrange royal marriages
- 04.She created one of the earliest known works on military strategy by a European writer, 'Le Livre des fais d'armes et de chevalerie,' which was later translated into English
- 05.Christine retired to the Abbey of Poissy around 1418, the same convent where King Charles VI's daughter Marie was abbess