Ordensritter und Frauen in Livland im 16. Jahrhundert

Abstract

The Teutonic Knights and Women in the 16^th century Livonia

Amount of information on women in the castles of the Teutonic Order in Livonia is scarce. From the 16th century there is evidence about the female housekeepers (low-ger. mayersche) in the manors and smaller castles of the commandery of Fellin. The artisans and servants of the Order were not bound to the vow of celibacy, some of them certainly had families and lived in the castles.  

The knights in Livonia participated in worldly activities such as weddings in the sixteenth century. Moreover, in some cases it could be shown that the knights were organizers of these events. This involved not only initial match-making but also guiding through the actual event as well. On these occasions it can be shown, how deeply the knights were involved in organizing the family affairs of their relatives: be that the guardianship of a mother or betrothal of a sister. Female relatives of the knights sometimes also visited Livonia.

Several critics of the Order also single out the concubines of the brethren. The number of knights, who are known to have had concubines in the sixteenth century is not small. We do not know much about the forms of the relationships or eventual cohabitation. Most of the information is on the children born of these relationships, whose subsistence was taken care of.