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1519 Hans Maler zu Schwaz (1490–1530) Anne, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia. A bit about Anne -Anna of Bohemia & Hungary (1503-1547), sometimes known as Anna Jagellonica, was Queen of Germany, Bohemia, & Hungary & Archduchess of Austria as the wife of King Ferdinand I (later Holy Roman Emperor).Anna & Ferdinand had 15 children, all of whom were born in Bohemia or Austria. The kingdoms of both Bohemia & Hungary had suffered for centuries from premature deaths among heirs & a shortage of succession prospects, a predicament resolved by Anne's impressive fertility. Anna served as Queen Consort of Bohemia & as one of 3 living Queens of Hungary until her death.
In the 1400-1600s, Hungary & Bohemia were part of the Kingdom of Hungary, a multiethnic & multicultural state. And, of course, the lives of women during this time varied greatly depending on their social class, ethnicity, & religion. You will quickly see that the portraits here are of women from the topmost social class, at least for a part of their lives.
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Noblewomen, who belonged to the upper class depending on who won the last war, enjoyed a fairly privileged life compared to women of lower classes. They were often educated & could read & write, had access to healthcare including medicinal herbs & to social events. Queen Anna & her sister Mary were sent to Innsbruck by their father Maximilian He rarely visited, but he sent his hunter home to instruct the 2 girls in the art of hunting. There was emphasis on their abilities to handle weapons & other physical skills. The Humanist education they enjoyed focused on problem-solving skills. They were also instructed in dancing, music, & came in contact with many humanists visiting the imperial library there.
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The elite could participate in political & economic decision-making to a rather limited extent. They were also expected to marry for political alliances & produce heirs, but they had a bit more choice of their spouce than their mothers & those of lower classes.
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Women of the middle & lower classes had fewer opportunities & more restrictions. They were expected to marry & have children, & their roles were primarily confined to the domestic sphere. They usually had to work hard in their households, farms & gardens, & creating & marketing crafts to help support their families. Their education was limited, & the majority of these women could not read or write. They had fewer opportunities for social mobility & faced greater discrimination & exploitation than noblewomen.
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In addition, religion played a significant role in the lives of women in Hungary & Bohemia during this time. Most people were Catholic or Protestant, & religious institutions dominated in shaping women's daily lives.
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Nuns & female monastic orders provided some women with opportunities for education, to become scribes, & some women achieved religious authority as healers & midwives for other women, mystics or visionaries. However, the church also restricted women's access to certain roles & occupations & generally reinforced traditional gender roles.
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Overall, the lives of women in Hungary & Bohemia during the 1400-1600s were shaped by social class, ethnicity, religion, & traditional, unequal gender roles. While noblewomen had more agency & opportunities, most women of lower classes were expected to work hard in their households & had little or no access to educationor social mobility.
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