Project Status: Complete

Franciscan Women: History and Culture is a project of the Franciscan Institute and Bonaventure University to gather information on women’s Franciscan orders across the globe from the 13th century to the 18th century. The website provides a free database where users can find an extensive searchable bibliography on Franciscan women. There is also an encyclopedia of Franciscan women in addition to a list of convents across the globe with years of operation and references to secondary sources that treat the person or location. As of 2020, there are hundreds of entries available. Individual entries vary in length and contents based and can be anywhere from one sentence to several paragraphs long.

The project also has a list of helpful links for the study of women’s orders.

Resource details:

Resource Type: BibliographyCatalogSearchable BibliographySearchable DatabaseText: Modern

License: Must provide creditNo Fee

Modern Language: English

Medieval content details:

Dates: 1200 - 1600

The database extends into the 1700s, but the dates for MDR are limited to the medieval period.

Subject: ClergyGenderMonasticismNunsReligion - Institutional ChurchSaintsTheologyWomenWomen Religious

Type/Genre of Medieval Primary Source Material: Material EvidenceTextual Evidence

Geopolitical Region: AfricaAsia, East and SouthEuropeMiddle East

The project follows Franciscans as they traveled the globe for missionary work, though those interactions were limited in the medieval period.

Original Language: Latin