"fertile ground for growth, and particularly in the Protestant countries. It was in part a reaction to a distorted view of women,
quite different from the view of the Middle Ages, in a Catholic society where there were many outlets for a woman to exercise her influence and capacities."
This is what I have been teaching my daughter, tho I reached that conclusion based upon my own knowledge of history. Her current heroine is Eleanor of Aquitane.
There is an excellent book about Women in the Middle Ages, which supports this view.
Are you talking about "Women in the Age of the Cathedrals" or something like that? Or some other book?
I'm struggling with whether I should send this article to a Protestant friend. It can be hard to discern what will be persuasive and what will be offensive. I tend toward the latter view in this case, because the author makes a point of NOT saying "Reformation."