From the thirteenth century through the nineteenth, the Court Beguinages, large semi-monastic communities for women called Beguines, were integral to urban life in the Catholic Low Countries. In the wake of the Dutch Revolt and reestablishment of Spanish rule in the Southern provinces from the mid-1580s, the Beguinages became increasingly aligned with the ideology of female monasticism, and particularly with the tradition of Mary and Martha: the mix of contemplative prayer and humble work that had traditionally been at the heart of tertiary convents and other active female congregations. While many Beguines did indeed make their livings from manual labor, the Beguinages also offered women of ambition unparalleled opportunities to take on leadership roles of great responsibility and authority. This essay examines the labor of Beguinage administration in the early modern period and situates the careers of Beguine leaders in their social and gendered contexts.

中文翻译：

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工作中的女性：17 和 18 世纪南部低地国家法院的治理和财务管理

从 13 世纪到 19 世纪，法院 Beguinages，称为 Beguines 的大型半修道院妇女社区，是天主教低地国家城市生活不可或缺的一部分。1580 年代中期，随着荷兰起义和西班牙在南部省份重新建立统治，贝居安家族越来越认同女性修道的意识形态，尤其是玛丽和玛莎的传统：默观祈祷和传统上是高等修道院和其他活跃的女性教会的核心的卑微工作。虽然许多 Beguines 确实以体力劳动为生，但 Beguinages 也为有抱负的女性提供了无与伦比的机会，让她们担任具有重大责任和权威的领导角色。