Christine de Pizan (Italian poet and philosopher) Add a review

Christine de Pizan or Pisan (French: [kʁistin də pizɑ̃] , Middle French: [krisˈtinə də piˈzã]; born Cristina da Pizzano; September 1364 – c. 1430), was an Italian-born French poet and court writer for King Charles VI of France and several French dukes.

Christine de Pizan served as a court writer in medieval France after the death of her husband. Christine's patrons included dukes Louis I of Orleans, Philip the Bold of Burgundy, and his son John the Fearless. Considered to be some of the earliest feminist writings, her work includes novels, poetry, and biography, and she also penned literary, historical, philosophical, political, and religious reviews and analyses. Her best known works are The Book of the City of Ladies and The Treasure of the City of Ladies, both written when she worked for John the Fearless of Burgundy. Her books of advice to princesses, princes, and knights remained in print until the 16th century.

In recent decades, Christine's work has been returned to prominence by the efforts of scholars Charity Cannon Willard, Earl Jeffrey Richards, Suzanne Solente, Mathilde Laigle and Marie-Josephe Pinet.