Through public and private records, letters, legal documents, historical and personal narratives, and archaeological evidence, Women's Lives in Medieval Europe presents the everyday experiences of women in the Middle Ages. Emilie Amt brings together documents from the fifth through to the fifteenth century which reveal both the ideals of medieval society - how women were expected to live and behave - and the often contradictory realities of women's lives. Incorporating the laws, regulations, and religious texts that shaped the status and condition of women, this collection of medieval sources examines noblewomen, peasant women, merchants, artisans, servants, and nuns within the realm of daily activity. Including brief introductions to the period and to the individual documents, Women's Lives in Medieval Europe vividly describes marriage, family life and the perils of warfare and disease. Using women's own voices whenever possible, the collection focuses on ordinary women of all ranks,rather than well-known historical figures.