Marriage

A wife was expected to be a companion to her husband, but she was always his subordinate. Obedience was demanded by husbands, and women were restricted in their actions. A divorce was practically impossible to get.

Education

Women were to be silent, obedient, and to perform household tasks. The purpose of women's education was the development of an accepted concept of marriage and training in domestic skills. Women were taught how to look after children, care for their homes, make clothing for her family, and tend livestock.

 Women had a most significant impact upon the Reformation, and the social changes that came about in turn changed the place and role of women in the centuries to follow. Two groups of women had decisive impact upon the reformation – the royal women, and the wives of the Reformers.

In 16th Century Europe, 85% of the population were peasants living in villages of less than 100 people, 10% were Middle Class: merchants, tradesmen, townsmen, and the remaining 5% were either the Nobility or Clergy. Most of The wealth and power was concentrated in the latter. The average life span was 30 for men and 24 for women; anyone who reached 40 was considered old. Women had an average of 6 or 7 children, if they survived childbirth in an unsanitary age, and 40-50% of the children would die before the age of 12. About 10% of the men would never marry. About 12% of the women found themselves in convents – and often unwillingly – as that was a good way to get rid of unwanted female children. Apart from marriage or orders, there was little else for a woman than  rostitution, though many nuns were treated as such by the so-called “celibate” clergy. Illegitimacy was frequent. In the upper classes though, a mistress often had a much better lot in life than a wife. In Northern Europe family units were centered around one married couple; in the South the household would often include a couple, and their married children and grandchildren as well.