Traveling within the World
Historical Roles of Women
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FANNY HILL MEMOIRS OF A WOMAN OF PLEASURE by John Cleland c 1749
Letter The First Madam, I sit down to give you an undeniable proof of my con-sidering your desires as indispensable orders. Ungraciousthen as the task may be, I shall recall to view those scan-dalous stages of my life, out of which I emerg'd, at length,to the enjoyment of every blessing…
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Ancient Roman Prostitutes and Notes on Roman Prostitution
Terms for Ancient Roman Prostitutes and Brothels.From W. C. FirebaughAt the start of his translation of "The Satyricon," by Petronius, W. C. Firebaugh includes an interesting, somewhat rambling section on ancient prostitutes, the history of prostitution in ancient Rome, and the decline of ancient…
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Shirabyōshi
Shirabyōshi (白拍子?) were female dancers, prominent in the Japanese Imperial Court, who performed traditional Japanese dances (the dances themselves also called shirabyōshi[citation needed]) dressed as men. The profession of shirabyōshi developed in the 12th century. They would perform for nobles and…
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Noblewomen: the first ladies! by Jan-Olov von Wowern
The role and position of noblewomen in later medieval Europe is a subject about which comparatively little has been written. The noblewomen, particularly those of the higher nobility, usually found themselves in a situation where it was taken for granted they would marry and strengthen the position…
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The Geisha
1100AD - 1750ADPre-GeishaWhilst geisha are relatively modern in their emergence, dating back to the early 1700’s, “geisha-type” women have existed since the earliest history of Japan. Two notable predecessors to geisha were the Saburuko, who came onto the scene at the end of the seventh century,…
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Sultana
The term Sultana (Arabic: سلطانه) is used for a few Muslim women rulers in history. It is sometimes mistaken as the title of the chief wife of a…
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lady-in-waiting (also called waiting maid)
A lady-in-waiting (also called waiting maid) is a female personal assistant at a noble court, attending to a queen, a princess or other noblewoman. A lady-in-waiting is often a noblewoman of lower rank (i.e., a lesser noble) than the one she attends to, and is not considered a servant. Their duties…
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Woman of the Bedchamber
n the Royal Household of the United Kingdom the term Woman of the Bedchamber is used to describe a woman (usually a daughter of a peer) attending either a Queen Regnant or Queen Consort, in the role of Lady-in-Waiting. Queens Regnant or Consort also have Ladies of the bedchamber (typically wives or…
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gentlewoman
A gentlewoman (from the Latin gentilis, belonging to a gens, and English 'woman') in the original and strict sense is a woman of good family, analogous to the Latin generosus and generosa. The closely related English word "gentry" derives from the Old French genterise, gentelise, with much of the…
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Madam
Madam, Madame, ma'am, or Mme is a title for a woman. It is derived from the French madame (see different meanings of madame here), the equivalent of Mrs. or Ms., and literally signifying "my lady." The plural of madam in this sense is mesdames. The French madame is in turn derived from the Latin…
