The “Christina” initial, St Albans Psalter, Psalm 105, C12 (2/4)

Hildesheim, Dombibliothek, MS St Godehard 1, p. 285

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Christina - an intelligent, resourceful young woman, born into a wealthy English family as the Norman Conquest is bedding in - determines to dedicate her life to Christ. But her evil parents have other ideas - and will stop at nothing to thwart her plan.

Will she achieve her heart’s desire? Or will her parents’ determination to deploy her in their vile bid to maintain and increase their wealth and status in urban society prevail? Join us to find out, via a wild merchants’ party, forced marriage to a flip-flopping husband, and a breath-taking escape and fugitive narrative. Along the way, we’ll meet, inter alia, a would-be rapist (the notorious Bishop of Durham, no less), some ugly toads, a heroic hermit who protects her (as they struggle with almost unbearable desire for each other), a flawed-but-willing-to-be-helped Norman abbot, Christ, the Blessed Virgin, and a lettuce thief.

Christina’s story is nowhere near as well-known as other texts in our new WrightNotes strand. But it offers an extraordinary glimpse into Anglo-Norman society - as immigrants are swarming throughout England, taking the lion’s share of resources and plum jobs. Much scholarship has treated this text in terms of a culture war. Will you agree, and if so, which cultures are at war…?

NB This course is a new departure for Wright History, as it will be delivered by Joanna rather than Robert, but rest assured: she’s worked with Christina, on and off, since 1996. For a bit of Joanna’s background, see here.

RJW F2408 Online (via Zoom)

A 5-hour short course, delivered via 2 x 2½-hour sessions on consecutive Mondays (19 & 26 February, 2.00-4.30).

£40 (individual registration); £72 (for two people sharing one screen).