The Ladies of La Latina: Medieval Spain's Female Power Brokers

Before Isabella of Castile, before the Spanish Inquisition, medieval Spain had its own female powerhouses. In this episode of The Story of Spain, Lucas and Luna explore the extraordinary women of La Latina neighborhood in Madrid—a district named after Beatriz Galindo, a scholar and advisor to Isabella I. But Beatriz was just one of many. From Leonor López de Córdoba, who wrote Spain's first autobiography while imprisoned, to Teresa de Cartagena, a deaf nun who defended women's intellect, these women navigated a world of convivencia and conflict. They were patrons, writers, and mystics who left their mark on Spanish culture. Lucas shares how Beatriz Galindo taught Latin to Queen Isabella and later founded hospitals, and how Leonor's Memoirs offer a rare female voice from the 15th century. The conversation also touches on the paradox of women's visibility in medieval Spain—greater than in many other European kingdoms, yet still constrained by patriarchy. This episode offers a fresh lens on Spanish history, focusing not on queens and regents but on the learned women, business owners, and religious thinkers who shaped everyday life. #BeatrizGalindo #LaLatina #MedievalSpain #LeonorLPezdeCRdoba #TeresadeCartagena #WomenInHistory #SpanishHistory #FemalePower #IsabellaOfCastile #FexingoHistory #TheStoryOfSpain #MedievalWomen #Spain #History #Madrid #15thCentury #SpanishLiterature #GenderHistory #SpainHistory #Reconquista Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo