So this question might be a little morbid, but it seems like nunneries would be easy /attractive targets for thieves, roaming hordes and rapists. A place filled with women, no men around, a lot of them old/frail. How were these places and the nuns themselves protected throughout more brutal time periods?
Was it simply isolation and dressing as nonsexual as possible? Seems like it had to be more.
EDIT: Thanks for all the comments. Convent was the word I was looking for, I just kept thinking of the “get thee to a nunnery” line in Hamlet. Everything I know about life in a convent is pretty much from Sound of Music and a handful of shows.
In: 413
[removed]
We need more Adeptas Sororitas! LOL
But, Nuns did what they believed was good work, and because of that, the community protected them as best the could.
Vikings – not being Christian – did like pillaging religious sites.
For everyone else, there are three basic truths:
1. Catholicism is the state religion, and all the nobles up to the king derive authority from it.
2. God, excommunication and hell are very, very real.
3. If you aren’t sufficiently scared of #2, the Church still has *enormous* pull with everyone in your society who carries arms because of #1 and #2.
Are you referring to a convent? Convents were historically places for the poor and sick to go to. There were no hospitals. Convents often had schools attached. They weren’t just buildings full of vulnerable women. The Vatican was very powerful for centuries. Convents had their protection under cardinals and bishops. Cloistered convents often had farms and shared food with the community.
In some cases, they learned to defend themselves.
The creation of the martial art style Wing Chun is credited to a Buddhist nun named Ng Mui or Ng Mei and focuses on close combat with few or no weapons. It was later made famous by Ip Man and Bruce Lee.
Granted, Buddhist monasteries have different rules and principles than western Catholic convents, but the Buddhist nuns were absolutely allowed to learn self defense in order to fend off attackers.
Religion was very big, as much so as government. They had the protection of government and the people.
Most criminals would not have targeted the church and the church did torture and execute people. The church had power and was not an easy target.
Obv this depends on what country and time period is being discussed.
Nuns lived at large churches in the center of cities and towns. Not way out in the boonies away from people.
Most towns and cities were built around the church in town square or near the center of the city.
I did a local tour of my city once, which talked about life in the 16th century (I live in a small European city). The nuns had access to several buildings, which were connected through underground passages. That way, they could move between buildings at evening/nighttime and be safe. That is all I can add about this topic, how the buildings themselves were protected is not clear to me.
Have you the watched *The Sound of Music*?
It’s based on a true story, and the gate of the real nunnery (Nonnberg Abbey) from the true story is used in the movie. It does not look easy to break into.
To add to others’ comments, nunneries are by definition associated with the Catholic Church, and in the period of time OP is referencing it was generally a very bad idea to get on the Church’s bad side.
No has mentioned that a convent was burned down in Charlestown, Massachusetts in 1824 by an anti Catholic, Protestant mob.
Latest Answers