ABSTRACT
There has been much debate regarding the issue of female representation in medieval history and historiography in past decades. The general consensus is that most narratives composed during the Middle Ages lack female agency because they were mostly written by men, especially men living apart from female coexistence (i.e., in monasteries). Adam of Bremen’s Gesta Hammaburgensis is no exception. However, the chronicler of the Archdiocese of Hamburg-Bremen does mention many women in his narrative and this seems to be connected to Adam’s historical conceptions relating to the legatio gentium. This chapter investigates some of these women and is based on the conceptions and perceptions of the author regarding the female characters he presents in his work. The main hypothesis is that women are treated in the Gesta Hammaburgensis according to their relation to the missionary work carried out by the Archdiocese and are, thus, comparable to the missionaries themselves. A new understanding of the role of women in the Gesta in connection to Adam’s conception of history can expand current interpretations of medieval historiography and its relationship to female figures. Consequently, this chapter seeks to provide new perspectives with respect to the issue of female representation in medieval history.
