Medieval Prostitution

In 15th-century France, public prostitution was condoned by all sectors of society. Clerics and municipal officials not only tolerated prostitution, but were often its principal beneficiaries, owning and frequenting brothels quite openly. The explanation of this remarkable state of affairs is one topic covered in this book, which reconstructs a part of medieval society that has previously received relatively little attention. Drawing upon research in medieval archives, the author shows that most 15th-century Frenchwomen could expect a life of constant subjugation to male desire. Rape was common and considered a minor crime. He then considers whether public prostitution might paradoxically have been seen by the secular and religious authorities as a means of social control, and of preserving marital stability: the virtue of wives and daughters was best protected by the existence of public brothels, where sexual urges could be satisfied without adultery and rape. The book describes the social background of the prostitutes, brothel-keepers, pimps and their clientele, showing that for many of those involved in it prostitution was an acceptable occupation.