Monasticism and Religious Life in the German Empire and the Peninsular Kingdoms (XI–XV Centuries)

Monasticism and Religious Life in the German Empire and the Peninsular Kingdoms presents a comparative analysis based on intensive dialogue between German and Spanish medieval scholars. Structured around three interrelated thematic axes – gender, society and space, and reform – it examines the institutional, social, and ideological dimensions of religious communities across these regions. The contributions address the agency of women within Cistercian and military orders, the spatial organization of monastic networks, and the dynamics of reform movements. Special attention is paid to the articulation of religious identity through architecture, liturgy, patronage, and textual production. The volume also investigates forms of informal religiosity, as well as charitable orders. By comparing case studies from both regions, the essays highlight both convergences and regional particularities in the development of religious life. The volume contributes to the methodological advancement of comparative medieval studies and offers a critical reassessment of monasticism as a transregional phenomenon shaped by local contexts, institutional networks, and evolving spiritual ideals.