The Burgermeister's Daughter - by Steven Ozment (Paperback)

About the Book

An award-winning scholar presents a haunting historical narrative about a rebellious 16-century woman who brought scandal upon her family and sued her own father when he tried to disinherit her. "A splendid and very unusual entry into the private life of the distant past".--"The New York Times Book Review". Illustrations.

Book Synopsis

In an era when women were supposed to be disciplined and obedient, Anna proved to be neither. Defying 16th-century social mores, she was the frequent subject of gossip because of her immodest dress and flirtatious behavior. When her wealthy father discovered that she was having secret, simultaneous affairs with a young nobleman and a cavalryman, he turned her out of the house in rage, but when she sued him for financial support, he had her captured, returned home and chained to a table as punishment. Anna eventually escaped and continued her suit against her father, her siblings and her home town in a bitter legal battle that was to last 30 years and end only upon her death.

Drawn from her surviving love letters and court records, The Burgermeister's Daughter is a fascinating examination of the politics of sexuality, gender and family in the 16th century, and a powerful testament to the courage and tenacity of a woman who defied the inequalities of this distant age.

Review Quotes

"A very considerable history by an accomplished scholar.""-- Atlantic Monthly""A splendid and very unusual entry into the private life of the distant past.""-- New York Times Book Review""Compelling, suspenseful, and 'sexy'...impossible to put down.""-- Yale Review"