Although enclosure was paramount in female religious life in the medieval period, source material reveals that women’s communities remained closely connected to the outside world. As the editors of this volume rightly point out, it is therefore important to study medieval women religious within “larger religious contexts and social networks” (18), shaped by various factors such as cultural and intellectual milieus, familial ties, and political and economic circumstances. In doing so, The Ladies on the Hill aligns itself with a broader trend in scholarship that examines the negotiated realities in female religious life. The volume focuses on two female monasteries in Prague: the Augustinian monastery of Klosterneuburg, founded in the twelfth century, and the Benedictine community of St. George, which dates back to the late tenth century. Although the communities adhered to different rules, both maintained close ties to royal power and to male religious who provided pastoral care. Despite their privileged status and the availability of source material, little research has been done on how these women positioned themselves within their political, social, and religious contexts. This collection brings together a wide range of scholars to examine and contextualise diverse sources—ranging from economic records to codices, manuscripts, and liturgical texts—and to illuminate how the women of these communities understood themselves “in conjunction with the men, the saints and the society that surrounded them” (26).
Following an introduction that outlines the historiographical framework and the historical trajectory of both communities, the first chapter by Hamburger examines the disciplinary context of Klosterneuburg and St. George. No fewer than nine rules have been preserved in the library of Klosterneuburg. Hamburger situates these within a broader corpus of illuminated rules and rule-like texts that governed female religious life. It is striking that, although women often played active roles in reform movements, depictions of women as rule-givers were rare. This absence sheds light on contemporary perceptions of religious women and their authority. The next two chapters explore the communities’ interactions with the world beyond the cloister. Pacovský investigates the remarkable role of the abbess of St. George in the coronation ritual of the queens of Bohemia. Initially, the abbess merely accompanied the queen during the ordination, but her role grew increasingly significant over time. By the fifteenth century, she had replaced the bishop as the archbishop’s principal assistant. This evolution not only underscores the community’s close ties to royal power but also illustrates how these bonds were subject to change under the influence of societal circumstances. In the following chapter Pacovský turns to the male clerics who provided pastoral care to the women religious of St. George. In contrast to the abbess of Klosterneuburg, who acted as a magistra and was subordinate to the dean of the canons, the abbess of St. George wielded full authority. Nevertheless, the male canons of St George maintained strong institutional and liturgical connections with the nuns; their prebends were even dependent on the abbess. This dynamic reveals how the relationships between male canons and the women to whom they provided pastoral care were shaped by local realities.
The following two chapters delve into the economic realities of the Augustinian monastery of Klosterneuburg. Deichstetter and Miesgang provide a thorough historiographical overview and present the monastery’s preserved account books. These sources are further analysed by Rückert and Kehnel, who examine a nearly continuous series of account books spanning from 1145 to 1533. These records offer a compelling glimpse into the daily life of a female monastic community and demonstrate how the ideals outlined in monastic rules were enacted in practice. They also reveal that, despite close economic, spiritual, and institutional ties to the male canons, the women were independently responsible for managing their income and expenses.
The next two chapters focus on the libraries and literary cultures of both monasteries. Modráková centers her analysis on Kunhuta, abbess of St. George in the beginning of the fourteenth century. Kunhuta was exceptional in commissioning several manuscripts and attempting to standardize the community’s liturgy. Yet she built upon the legacy of her predecessors and an already established book culture within the abbey. Lukács then turns to Klosterneuburg, examining a scroll preserved in CCl 1100 that contains liturgical rites for sick women. This unique document provides insight into the lived experience of the nuns. In addition to prayers for healing, the scroll reflects an idealized conception of female religious life, rooted in spiritual union with Christ. By living as true servants of God, He could restore their health.
While the first half of the volume situates Klosterneuburg and St. George within their ecclesiastical, social, economic, and cultural contexts, the second half shifts focus to their liturgical and spiritual life. Two chapters examine the preserved Libri ordinarii of the monasteries—texts that contain incipits for chants, readings, and prayers for the Divine Office and the Mass throughout the liturgical year. As “liturgical blueprint[s]” (23) these texts offer privileged insight into the liturgical and spiritual life of a community. Zakova discusses the Liber Ordinarius of St George, dating to the mid-fourteenth century. The text combines elements from both Benedictine and Hirsau traditions, indicating the convent’s broader ecclesiastical network. At the same time, it reflects a distinct feminine perspective, evident in its emphasis on Marian feasts and female saints’ days. Although Klosterneuburg’s Liber Ordinarius has not survived, Brusa argues that insights into its religious practices can be gained from the preserved Liber Ordinarius of the affiliated male canons. She further demonstrates the layered nature of the monastery’s musical tradition, which drew from various regional influences to create a unique liturgical identity.
The specific feminine perspective of the liturgy of St. George is further developed in the chapter of Fassler, which focuses on the Office of St. Magdalen. As liturgy is inextricably linked to a monastery’s identity, “unpacking the Office, layer by layer” (248) reveals how the “liturgical imagination” (248) worked in a community. In this Office, Magdalen is portrayed as a multifaceted saint who resonated with the liturgical imagination of the nuns. The multifaceted nature of liturgical life is also evident in the chapter by Podroužková, Škoviera, and Eben. They describe three antiphoners from St. George, all dating from the thirteenth century, which cover the divine office from after Pentecost to the end of the liturgical year. By closely comparing the three manuscripts, the authors not only propose a chronological order in which the manuscripts were written but also show the fluidity of liturgical practice. While the liturgy maintained strong ties to southern German monastic traditions, it increasingly incorporated Hirsau influences. These manuscripts capture a transitional moment, underscoring the evolving liturgical landscape of medieval monasteries.
The final two chapters discuss the liturgical sources commissioned by the abbesses of St. George. Both contributions underscore the richness of the community’s book culture and the abbess’s role in shaping its content. Theisen examines two illuminated breviaries and a psalm codex commissioned by Kunigunde von Kolowrat, abbess of St. George from 1350 to 1401, showing how Kunigunde was actively involved in the convent’s liturgical life. Vlček Schurr focuses on the lavish Passional commissioned by Kunhuta/Kunigunde of St. George, namesake and predecessor of the abbess featured in Theisen’s chapter. As commissioner, she played a direct role in the manuscript’s creation.
The Ladies on the Hill presents a rich collection of in-depth case studies that illuminate various dimensions of female religious life in medieval Prague. Drawing on a wide array of sources, the contributors argue for the complex and multifaceted identities of the nuns. By examining the specificities and commonalities of the two communities—their liturgical practices, social contexts, and relationships with the male canons who provided pastoral care—the volume underscores the importance of studying religious women from their own perspective. Far from living in isolation, these women were deeply embedded in the social, political, and spiritual fabric of their time.