Author - Later Life

Her status as a writer was solidly established in her strong support of women and she became known outside the limited court circles. This began when she became part of a famous literary debate. The book involved was The Romance of the Rose by Jean de Meun. It depicted women in a not very flattering light.

Several of her well known literary works include The Book of the City of Ladies (see the illustration above) and The Book of the Three Virtues. In modern times, these works helped her reputation as the original feminist.

Around 1415 or 1416 Christine retired to a convent. She is thought to have retired to the Abbey of Poissy, although not much is known of her life during this period. Her daughter had joined the convent as a very young girl, possibly as companion to a royal daughter (this would have been considered a privilege for the time). Unlike her daughter though she was not a nun, but one of the lay women who were part of the convent and housed in a separate section. Conditions in the outside world were very unstable (France was at war off and on with England during her entire life) at the time she entered Poissy. So, the protected walls of the convent must have been a welcome retreat. In addition, her remaining son had died (her other son had died while still a young boy).

It was at the convent where she wrote her final work in 1429. It was a poem about Joan of Arc called The Tale of Joan of Arc. In this work she had praise for a female military leader. Somewhat of an irony considering her own preference for peace. She must have been greatly saddened upon hearing of Joan of Arc's execution in 1431. It was only three years later that Christine herself died.