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Abstract
This study examines the Humiliati, a medieval religious movement centered in Northern Italy that originated in the twelfth century. The Humiliati were part of the proliferation of lay religious orders and heretical groups which arose in response to major changes occurring in all facets of medieval life, particularly the changing economic and social environment, as well as the narrowing of clerical roles and curtailment of female monastic options. The Humiliati included both men and women, educated clergy and poorer artisan families. Their focus on manual labor, their desire to live humbly while renouncing worldly gains, and their successful participation in the medieval economy set them apart from other religious groups of the period.
Scholars disagree about whether individuals joined the movement primarily for spiritual or economic reasons. My thesis suggests that the two elements of the Humiliati movement (economic and spiritual) were not mutually exclusive. By comparing the group's views on labor with archival evidence of actual economic activity, I suggest that the economic aspect of Humiliati life was a manifestation of their spiritual choices. Their urban environment, focused on the market and community created new challenges both spiritually and economically, the Humiliati believed their work to be beneficial both to their souls and to the welfare of the greater community.
Through an examination of archival evidence this thesis asserts that women played a dominant role in the Humiliati. This finding has implications for the scholarship on both women's spirituality and women's work. First, it challenges the prevailing notion that due to social and ecclesiastical customs women's spirituality in medieval Italy was expressed personally and individually rather than in institutional forms. In addition, it indicates that Humiliati women were actively involved in the wool industry. My evidence serves to correct received opinion that women's participation in textile manufacturing was severely limited due to the restrictive nature of the guild system of northern Italy. The evidence indicates that the movement attracted individuals from all social groups, and that members of individual Humiliati houses were occupied in a variety of economic activities, including urban woolworking, rural land ownership and the administration of hospitals.
