Mobilité, droits et citoyenneté des femmes dans l’Italie médiévale et moderne

Abstract

In medieval and early modern Italy, women were excluded from political citizenship, but they were able to participate in various forms of belonging to a particular place. Geographical mobility affected the legal status of individuals, not only because of the various ways of distinguishing between citizens and foreigners, but also because the provisions of municipal law might differ from one place to another, especially regarding women’s status and rights, for example regarding property and inheritance. This essay illustrates the principal issues relating to women’s citizenship, and examines the reactions of both women and men to the multitude and variety of local statutory laws.