Periodic Reporting for period 1 - WIMPACT (Late medieval visionary Women's IMPact in early modern Castilian spiritual Tradition)
Période du rapport: 2019-10-01 au 2021-09-30
That women play a major part in shaping modern societies is accepted today as a matter of fact. This acknowledgement of feminine influence not only in the present, but also in history, is the main reason why there is a growing general interest in the question under which conditions women in premodern times were able to have an impact on the political, social, intellectual and religious issues of their era. In this context, the general objective of WIMPACT was to establish how late medieval mysticism (in particular Women’s) IMPACTed on the subsequent spiritual literature, practices and ways of life in premodern Castile.
In this sense, the Observant reform of the monastic communities undertaken by Cardinal Ximénez Cisneros (c. 1492-1517) is still an unrivalled starting point. The reformist crusade of the Cardinal was based on the ideals of asceticism, devotion and contemplation which he found reflected in some writings of the Late Medieval tradition. In fact, his campaign included the commission of a substantial list of vernacular translations of works by women mystics which were widespread throughout the Iberian Peninsula. Those books are said to have provided Castilian communities with models of discipline and self-reflection, leading them from mystical experience to charismatic authority which helped the empowerment of non-cloistered women. Despite its evident importance, there had never been a complete study clarifying both the previous knowledge of women’s mystical literature in Castile, the commission and reception of those texts, their manuscript origins and their specific impact on the lives of the Castilian communities and individuals.
Taking this context into account, WIMPACT had two main sub-goals. The first, make an exhaustive research gathering the manuscripts and early printed books on/by European Late Medieval Mystic Women (13th-14th cc.) present in Castile in the premodern period (second half 15th c.-early 16th c.). The second, evaluate the impact that those writings had, firstly, in the Castilian religious communities affected by Ximénez Cisneros Observant reform (1492-1517) through newly-produced inner convent literature and, secondly, in the Carmelite reform, accomplished by major literary figures as Teresa de Ávila and Juan de la Cruz (second half 16th c.).
By analyzing these issues from an innovative perspective, the project has highlighted the empowerment of women, their subsequent influence on the politics of the Castilian court and the role that they had in the Observant reforms undertaken in the period. In short, WIMPACT have provided a novel, deeper picture of the importance of the role of women in the development of European history.
In this sense, the Observant reform of the monastic communities undertaken by Cardinal Ximénez Cisneros (c. 1492-1517) is still an unrivalled starting point. The reformist crusade of the Cardinal was based on the ideals of asceticism, devotion and contemplation which he found reflected in some writings of the Late Medieval tradition. In fact, his campaign included the commission of a substantial list of vernacular translations of works by women mystics which were widespread throughout the Iberian Peninsula. Those books are said to have provided Castilian communities with models of discipline and self-reflection, leading them from mystical experience to charismatic authority which helped the empowerment of non-cloistered women. Despite its evident importance, there had never been a complete study clarifying both the previous knowledge of women’s mystical literature in Castile, the commission and reception of those texts, their manuscript origins and their specific impact on the lives of the Castilian communities and individuals.
Taking this context into account, WIMPACT had two main sub-goals. The first, make an exhaustive research gathering the manuscripts and early printed books on/by European Late Medieval Mystic Women (13th-14th cc.) present in Castile in the premodern period (second half 15th c.-early 16th c.). The second, evaluate the impact that those writings had, firstly, in the Castilian religious communities affected by Ximénez Cisneros Observant reform (1492-1517) through newly-produced inner convent literature and, secondly, in the Carmelite reform, accomplished by major literary figures as Teresa de Ávila and Juan de la Cruz (second half 16th c.).
By analyzing these issues from an innovative perspective, the project has highlighted the empowerment of women, their subsequent influence on the politics of the Castilian court and the role that they had in the Observant reforms undertaken in the period. In short, WIMPACT have provided a novel, deeper picture of the importance of the role of women in the development of European history.
WIMPACT's first aim was to make an in-depth search in catalogues in convent libraries of Castile and other institutions (e.g. BNE, AHN, Provincial Archives, between many others) which keep collections of documents related with female monasticism, in order to find and classify the manuscripts and printed books on/by religious women circulating in Castile in the aforementioned period of time. Due to the COVID-19 breakdown and subsequent restrictions, the methodological approach to this sub-goal was adapted to the pandemic circumstances by following the flexibility standards allowed by the European Commission. In any case, the data coming out of this line of inquiry have been discussed in Dark Archives 20/21 (Oxford), and they will also be published in a forthcoming journal article (OA). The second aim of the project was to reinterpret the continuity of late medieval European feminine mystical tradition in women's religious communities of Castile in the 15th and 16th centuries. This second sub-goal has been achieved by implementing an interdisciplinary methodology which departs from the comparative philology, but which uses tools of different fields (gender studies, sociology, religious studies) to interpret the impact of those writings had in premodern Castile.
The results of the project have been disseminated through different channels, e.g. five (plus one forthcoming) Open Access articles published in high-impact journals, the participation in several international conferences (including the creation of two sessions ad hoc in different academic events), the organization and hosting of two international workshops in Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf during term, the creation of a seminar for undergraduate students in which the contents of WIMPACT were implemented, the collaboration with the development of digital contents of other research projects, and the continuous communication of the results through social media, between others.
The results of the project have been disseminated through different channels, e.g. five (plus one forthcoming) Open Access articles published in high-impact journals, the participation in several international conferences (including the creation of two sessions ad hoc in different academic events), the organization and hosting of two international workshops in Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf during term, the creation of a seminar for undergraduate students in which the contents of WIMPACT were implemented, the collaboration with the development of digital contents of other research projects, and the continuous communication of the results through social media, between others.
WIMPACT had envisioned for the very first time the transmission of spiritual knowledge in the Iberian Peninsula from a gendered, holistic point of view, interpreting its specific impact in the history of Castilian Observant reform. This is to say, the interdisciplinary approach of WIMPACT provided a comprehensive historical interpretation framed in a strong expertise in comparative philology, combined with an interpretation of the documents from a gender, political, historical and sociological points of view. This highly innovative perspective avoided exclusive regional views of the new spiritual works created in Castile, by reinforcing the idea of feminine European networks of knowledge. At the same time, since the lives and cultural production by/for women were an essential focus of the project, the gender dimension was highlighted as a crucial aspect for looking back at the past. Gender issues have been taken into account in the analysis of the textual production and its implementation in the life of both feminine communities and individuals.
Finally, since the empowerment of women, their subsequent influence on the politics of the Castilian court, and the role that they had in the reforms undertaken in the period are central issues of WIMPACT, the project's results help to understand these women's intellectual networks as very powerful tools which shape differently our collective image of the past.
Finally, since the empowerment of women, their subsequent influence on the politics of the Castilian court, and the role that they had in the reforms undertaken in the period are central issues of WIMPACT, the project's results help to understand these women's intellectual networks as very powerful tools which shape differently our collective image of the past.