Kloster och aristokrati i det medeltida Danmark - En studie i samhällsstrukturer, kön, makt och gåvor

This essay investigates, on the basis of the medieval letters, diplomas, how the medieval monasticism contributed to the maintenance of the Danish society's gender structures. The theoretical starting points for the study are gender and class structures and Marcel Mauss presented gift - giving theory. Finally, a continuous comparison is made with Catharina Andersson's results in her dissertation, in which she examines the social structure in the Swedish medieval society. The primary material in the study is the Danish diplomas. 41 diplomas were found relevant for this study. The study is presented in one quantitative part and one investigating part in order to facilitate and clearer visualize the results. The study's results are that the medieval, Danish society, in bigger extent than the Swedish society, was a more integrated part of the European culture. This meant a tradition of the use of giving a daughter or a female relative as a gift and in exchange gain blessing of God. Aristocrats in the Danish society had more options than the Swedish aristocrats had, to serve God, among other thing in the form of serving knights in crusades