Patronage and power
Susan M. Johns
This chapter describes women's participation in spiritual relationships with churchmen. The role of twelfth-century secular noblewomen procuring, commissioning and selecting literature is developed here an examination their as patrons books literature. Spiritual were expression aristocratic social cohesiveness a route whereby women could exert power. There evidence that the lesser nobility patronised writers poets, actively fostered production themselves literate. Geoffrey Monmouth's view gives insight into ideal roles society. Women's acquisition books, historiography, genealogies, prayers, poems saints' lives was important channel political, religious influence. examples Alice de Condet Constance fitz Gilbert illustrate some able to read participate
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