The Cult of St Ursula and the 11,000 Virgins - Jane Cartwright (ed.) [epub]

The cult of St. Ursula and the 11,000 virgins was one of the most popular and relic-rich of all saints’ cults in the medieval period. In this volume, Jane Cartwright provides an interdisciplinary collection of essays that explore the medieval art and texts that were instrumental in the wide transmission of the legend of St. Ursula.

The Cult of St Ursula and the 11,000 Virgins will appeal to art historians, as it details the origins of the popular symbols that appear in artistic depictions of St. Ursula and her martyred companions. The book will also be of great interest to students of medieval literature, history, gender studies, religious studies, and the history of music.

“This is an important collection of essays that advances our understanding of this very significant cult, which was at once international and the subject of peculiar interest in medieval England and Wales. Jane Cartwright has brought together some very distinguished contributors who between them cover a great geographical range, from Iceland to Hungary. The book should be of interest to anyone concerned with medieval saints’ cults and legends, with images of female sanctity and with cultural and religious links between medieval Britain and the Continent.”
 - Barry Lewis, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies

Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: University of Wales Press (August 15, 2016)