Abstract

When history of religion intersects with that of Europeans in Early Modern Age, it is inevitable to analyse the reality of consecrated Catholic women in convents. This is the subject of the present text, which is structured around four key questions: What does ‘female religious enclosure’ mean? What are its consequences? What does the society in which it exists think of it? How do the two interact? Drawing on normative texts and practices documented in the abundant archival sources and bibliography, this paper constructs an original synthesis that aims to highlight all the characteristics of the female monastic condition during this period across all Orders. The presentation begins by analysing the values and behaviours advocated by ecclesiastical authorities for the construction of the identities of the ideal nun and her community. It then examines situations of adoption or rejection of aspects of this model and of the orders received, concluding that while individual rebellion constitutes a transgression, collective rebellion may constitute a struggle for justice and for the fulfilment of sworn vows. There are multiple points of convergence between nuns and laypeople (spirituality, the exercise of freedom and powers, family policies, mutual aid), demonstrating they belong to the same society.

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