Christine de Pizan

biography written and compiled by Verna Sorrentino

This image is from the digitized manuscripts of The Book of the City of Ladies available online at The British Library

Christine de Pizan was a successful poet and author during medieval times, who is remembered as one of the earliest feminist writers and for her strong support and defence of women.

Christine de Pizan was born in Venice Italy about 1364, her father was Tommaso di Benvenuto di Pizzano and her mother, a member of the aristocratic Venetian Mondino family. Although Christine’s mother’s name has been lost to history, it seems possible that it was Maria, as it was customary that the first son be given his paternal grandfather’s name; and the first daughter be given her maternal grandmother’s name. Christine’s only daughter was named Marie, a French version of Maria.

At the time of her birth Christine’s father was a civil servant in Venice, he had previously been a lecturer in astrology at the University of Bologna. In 1368, Charles V of France invited him to be his official Court astrologer, the family joined him in Paris and Christine grew up at court. There, her family’s privileged status enabled her to have a classical education. She spoke a number of languages and was allowed access to the Court’s library where she read scientific and philosophical literature.

When she was 15, Christine married Etienne di Castel, who was appointed a royal secretary that same year. It was a happy marriage and, unusual for those times, he fully supported Christine’s studies and urged her to continue. Together they had a daughter and two sons. When Christine was only 25, Etienne’s tragic death of the plague left her with no income, three children and a recently widowed mother, however, she did have social connections and the benefit of an excellent education.

In order to support her family, she began to write love poems and ballads in memory of her husband and these were well received at court by the nobility who supported her by gifts of money. As a widow, she was considered her own legal guardian and she made a decision not to remarry purely for financial reasons, but to concentrate on her writing and cultivate patronage at the various courts. Whilst writing her poems and attending literary festivals at the court of the Duke of Orleans, she also copied manuscripts for wealthy nobles.

Although Christine began her literary career writing love poems and ballads, she soon became a voice for women, she advocated for women’s rights and educational opportunities, and took special interest in the treatment of widows. She was a vocal critic of the injustices towards women and argued that women could make worthwhile contributions to society if they were afforded equal opportunities.

Christine di Pizan became the first woman in Europe to make a living as a professional writer in a male dominated industry; she became an astute business woman and eventually established a scriptorium, where her own works were copied and illustrated under her supervision. These manuscripts were then offered to royal houses and prospective patrons.

During her career, she wrote a ten volumes of poetry, including a number of protest poems that addressed a particular injustice. Her most famous work is The Book of the City of Ladies, which highlights the achievements of women, and results in the founding of a city populated only by women.

Christine spent the last ten years of her life in the Dominican abbey in Poissy where her daughter Marie was a nun. During these years, Christine continued to write and her last work, written in 1429, was a poem written in honour of Joan of Arc.

Christine died the following year but her writings had a huge impact on many authors that followed and her books remained in print for over a hundred years.

In 1979, the installation artwork, The Dinner Party by artist Judy Chicago, featured Christine de Pizan as one of the 39 place setting of important women in history.