I would say that they were women ahead of their time, but really, no - they were women FOR their time.
![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DejES5WX4AA509r.jpg)
By the high middle ages, they were really storehouse for the 'extra' sons & daughters of nobility - grown large on bequests and land revenues.
![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DejETgGXUAAuoWn.jpg)
![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DejETsuXcAI7LY2.jpg)
Some of these women made the choice to live a quiet religious life together - the Beguines.
![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DejEUEHW0AAIFDh.jpg)
They didn't belong to any order. They took no real vows and could leave whenever they wanted. Most importantly, they dealt with the outside world - they didn't ignore it.
Each community, or 'Beguinage' was different.
![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DejEUjZWkAAxdu-.jpg)
They translated bits of the Bible into the vernacular, wrote poetry and perfected the healing arts.
![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DejEU6uXcAA-GvO.jpg)
They were condemned by the Church at various councils. Some, like the frenchwoman Marguerite Porete, were burned at the stake for heresy.
![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DejEVODW0AELVb1.jpg)
![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DejEVkfWkAEwMIa.jpg)
![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DejEWURXUAMQKWB.jpg)
![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DejEYSQWkAIJkCy.jpg)
They took control of their destiny.
![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DejEanKWsAAVFtT.jpg)
The last of the Flemish Beguines, Marcella Pattyn, died just a few years ago.
There are still attempts to establish new Beguinages.
![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DejEbjaWkAY64fr.jpg)
I feel like there are so many stories there to be discovered and interpreted for our own world.
![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DejEb8pW0AA0aip.jpg)
![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DejEcVXX0AAno4r.jpg)