Nun

A nun (from the Latin nonna being a female version of nonnus meaning monk) was the female equivalent of a monk. Nuns lived in convents and followed a religious life under the authority of an abbess or prioress.

Medieval Orders of Nuns

• The Rule of St. Augustine (Augustinians)
• The Order of St. Benedict (Benedictines)
  • The Order of Cistercians
  • The Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (Trappistines)
• The Order of Poor Ladies (Poor Clares)
• The Order of St. Bruno (Carthusians)
• The Order of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (Carmelites)
• The Order of Preachers (Dominican nuns)

Notable Nuns from Period

• Egeria (4th century)
• Scholastica (c. 480-543)
• Canna (6th century)
• Osyth (d. 653)
• Edburga of Bicester (7th century)
• Gertrude of Nivelles (626-659)
• Austreberta (630-704)
• Godeberta (c. 640-700)
• Milburga of Wenlock (d. 715)
• Adela and Irmina (8th century)
• Alburga (d. 810)
• Kassia (9th century)
• Hroswitha of Gandersheim (c. 935-c. 1002)
• Edburga of Winchester (d. 960)
• Adelaide, Abbess of Vilich (c. 970-1015)
• Ende (10th century)
• Agnes of Gandersheim
• Agatha, wife of Edward the Exile (11th century)
• Elin (d. after 1110)
• Jutta (1091-1136)
• Christina of Markyate (c. 1095-1155)
• Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179)
• Heloise (1101-1162)
• Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204)
• Herrade of Landsberg (c. 1130-1195)
• Guda (12th century)
• The Nun of Watton (12th century)
• Bona of Pisa (c. 1156-1207)
• Berengaria of Navarre (c. 1165-1230)
• Joan of England (1165-1199)
• Teresa of Portugal (1181-1250)
• Clare of Assisi (1194-1253)
• Mechtild of Magdeburg (1210-c. 1285)
• Agnes of Bohemia (1211-1282)
• Catherine of Ymseborg (c. 1215-1252)
• Gertrude of Hackeborn (1223-1292)
• Humility (c. 1226-1310)
• Jolenta of Poland (1235-1298)
• Agnes of Montepulciano (1268-1317)
• Clare of Montefalco (1268-1318)
• Isabella of France (1295-1358)
• Uliana Alexandrovna of Tver (c. 1325-1392)
• Anna of Trebizond (d. 1342)
• Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)
• Angelina di Marsciano (1377-1435)
• Rita of Cascia (1381-1457)
• Margareta Clausdotter (d. 1486)
• Joana, Princess of Portugal (1452-1490)
• Beatrix da Silva (d. 1490)
• Columba of Rieti (1467-1501)
• La Beata de Piedrahita (d. 1511)
• Magdalena de la Cruz (1487-1560)
• Katharina von Bora (1499-1552)
• Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582)
• Catherine of Ricci (1522-1590)
• Magdalena de Pazzi (1566-1607)
• Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain (1566-1633)