ideas, from God. In this period the ancient Latin expression infirmitas consilii, that means weak judgment, was used to label women. When we jump into Modern Ages (XVI-XVIII centuries), we still observe the conviction of the simplicity and weakness of the female sex. We can even find philosophical treatises and works of literature, which develop these ideas. Here we can include the well-known work “One thousand and one nights” which also reveals the supposed defects of women (for instance the criticism about the feminine seduction as an instrument of cheat). Nonetheless, we observe again how women in the courtly household had an important role as they maintained noble life and rank differentiation. The manuscript of Eleanor de Poitiers, a noblewoman of the fifteenth century, offers testimony about the ritual conduct in the Ducal Household (specifically that of Philip the Good and his wife Isabel of Portugal). It serves as an instruction manual while being much more, it is a double edge composition; on the one hand, it offers Eleanor’s personal experiences in court life with real examples and on the other hand, it provides instructions on ceremonial ritual. Thus, the manuscript serves as an useful historical source to see how the life of many noblewomen of that time was. Court rules …show more content…
Considering that women have suffered from discrimination in public and private life, politics were not going to be the exception. As we could see in the previous chapter, throughout history and even until recently, it was considered that women did not have the capacities needed to create their own opinion. Therefore, the possibility for women to reach the political sphere was unimaginable. The feminine sex was not believed competent for intellectual jobs; women had to spend their lives doing domestic work without the possibility of being educated as