The Treasure of the City of Ladies : Or the Book of the Three Virtues (Rev. ed)

"The Treasure of the City of Ladies" offers advice and guidance to women of all ages and from all levels of medieval society, from royal courtiers to prostitutes.

It paints an intricate picture of daily life in the courts and streets of 15th-century France and provides a glimpse into the practical considerations of running a household, dressing appropriately and maintaining your reputation at all times.

Christine de Pizan's book acts as a counterbalance to male accounts of life in the middle ages and demonstrates, often with dry humour, how a woman's position in society could be made less precarious by following the correct etiquette.