Two medieval womeńs testimonies: Leonor López de Córdoba and Elena Quottanner

Abstract

Leonor López de Córdoba –born around 1390 in Cordoba– is the first female Spanish writer. She composed a work entitled Memoirs, which combines elements of confessions, autobiographies, memoirs and spiritual testimonies.

Leonoŕs Memoirs has interesting similarities in style, subject and purpose with Elena Quottaneŕs Memoirs. Elena was born in Austria around 1400; she is the first German woman writer and her Memoirs is the first autobiographic narrative in German literature. Leonor and Elena were lady-in-waiting of widowed queens and they played an important role in the unstable political situation in their respectives countries. Both composed interesting works that are different but complementary to the “official historical texts”.