What Hollywood Gets Wrong About Medieval Women — And What They Get Surprisingly Right
The medieval world on screen is always dramatic: queens battling for power, witches being hunted, maidens being rescued, and female warriors swinging swords twice their size. But how much of it is true?
Short answer: some of it… but not much.
Here’s a breakdown of what movies and TV consistently misunderstand about medieval women — and a few refreshing moments when they get it right.
Myth #1: Medieval Women Had Zero Rights
Films often depict medieval women as powerless, voiceless, or property.
Reality: Women could own land, run businesses, file lawsuits, join guilds, and wield significant household authority. Noblewomen sometimes controlled entire estates.
Best example of getting it wrong:
Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
Sibylla is flattened into a tragic love interest, erasing her substantial political influence.
Best example of getting it right:
The Last Duel (2021)
Marguerite’s story reflects documented legal realities: women could take men to court, but doing so carried immense risk.
Myth #2: Every Woman Was Either a Nun, a Peasant, or a Princess
Screen portrayals often ignore the middle ground: artisans, merchants, innkeepers, healers, embroiderers, midwives, and brewers.
Gets it right:
The Witch (2015) — unusually accurate depiction of a family farm and women’s domestic labor in a quasi-Puritan setting.
Myth #3: Medieval Women Knew Nothing About Medicine
Hollywood loves the “mystical healer” trope — but real medieval women were trained, knowledgeable household physicians.
Gets it right:
Vikings occasionally portrays Lagertha and other women performing historically grounded medical work.
Myth #4: Women Never Fought in Battles
While not common, documented examples exist — especially among noblewomen defending castles.
Gets it right:
Brienne of Tarth (Game of Thrones) isn’t historically realistic, but she’s emblematic of the recorded exceptions.
What Hollywood Gets Right
The dangers of childbirth
The influence of noblewomen in court politics
The importance of marriage alliances
Women’s labor as the backbone of the economy
Why It Matters
Understanding real medieval women helps us appreciate the complexity of the era — and pushes back against centuries of stereotypes.
