Royal Childbirth in the Middle Ages: An Interview with Historian Michèle Schindler
- 12 March 2026
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- 9 Min Read
Editorial Introduction
Childbirth in the medieval royal household was far more than a private family event. For dynasties whose survival depended on legitimate heirs, the birth of a child could influence diplomacy, court politics, and the balance of power within a kingdom.
Yet the birthing chamber itself remains one of the least visible spaces of medieval political life. Much of what we know must be reconstructed from scattered references in chronicles, account books, and medical or moral treatises. These sources reveal that childbirth was surrounded by ritual, expectation, and intense scrutiny from those whose futures depended on its outcome.
In her recent book Royal Childbirth in the Middle Ages, historian Michèle Schindler explores how royal pregnancies and births shaped perceptions of queenship, legitimacy, and dynastic continuity. Drawing on a wide range of sources, she examines both the medical advice and the ceremonial practices that structured these pivotal moments in medieval courts.
In this interview, Schindler discusses the political significance of childbirth, the challenges of reconstructing events hidden within the birthing chamber, and the enduring myths that continue to shape how modern audiences imagine medieval royal women.
The Interview
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HistoryMedieval: Your book places childbirth at the centre of dynastic politics rather than the margins of domestic life. When you began this research, did you expect royal childbirth to emerge as such a public, politically charged event?
Michèle Schindler: While it was obvious from the beginning that childbirth was rather a public event for medieval queens — if not in the most literal sense, certainly in the way it was discussed — the political component of it was rather surprising, and it remains a somewhat puzzling aspect. Childbirth in itself was a means to an end, a way to make sure there were heirs to carry on the royal dynasty and daughters to make alliances.
Because of this end result, however, the actual act of childbirth was being considered with interest by medieval courtiers. Hopes were set on a queen giving birth easily — or, in some shocking cases, on her not doing so — and plans were made for the event of a queen giving birth and all the outcomes it could have: a son being born, a daughter being born, or the child and/or mother dying.
While the physical process in itself was not of too much interest, the event was certainly among the most discussed and most speculated on in any royal court. The number of times a queen gave birth, how many children she had, and whether she was known or suspected to have difficulties with any step of the process often shaped not only internal but also foreign politics.
“Childbirth was certainly among the most discussed and speculated on events in any royal court.”
HistoryMedieval: Many readers imagine medieval childbirth as chaotic, dangerous, and largely improvised. What does the evidence suggest about planning, ritual, and control in royal birthing chambers?
Michèle Schindler: There is a surprising amount of evidence about childbirth in the Middle Ages, though sadly, most of it is theoretical rather than practical accounts. These writings range from works of philosophers and doctors to instructions written by noblewomen who had experienced childbirth themselves.
They suggest that a great deal of planning went into both the birth itself and the ceremony surrounding it. Naturally, it is difficult to say how much of these theoretical ideas were followed in practice. Nevertheless, some recommendations — such as the need for rest before and after birth — appear consistently across centuries and regions. They appear in treatises from the twelfth as well as the fifteenth century, and in sources from different cultural traditions, including English and Hebrew writings.
Planning extended beyond medical care. Religious practice also played an important role. Prayers were said, and provisions were made so that a woman could continue practising her faith even while confined to the birthing chamber. In some cases, priests were allowed to enter what was otherwise an all-female space in order to celebrate Mass, ensuring that the expectant or recovering mother could hear it.
HistoryMedieval: You show that queens’ bodies were not only biological but political spaces. How did childbirth shape perceptions of queenship, legitimacy, and female authority at court?
Michèle Schindler: There is no simple answer to this question, as it differed depending on the political situation as well as the personalities of the queen and her husband, the king.
In general, childbirth did not confer legitimacy on a queen, but it could strengthen it. Conversely, the absence of children could provide enemies of both queen and king with ammunition.
This was not always the case. Anne of Bohemia, the queen of Richard II of England, remained a very popular queen despite being childless, even though her husband himself was far from uncontroversial. At the same time, giving birth did not necessarily guarantee acceptance. Margaret of Anjou, for instance, remained a deeply controversial figure even after producing an heir for Henry VI.
In some ways, the story of Henry VIII and his obsession with securing a male heir has distorted modern perceptions of how important childbirth was for queens. It is true that a queen could gain influence through having children, but childbirth was seen as a means to an end rather than something desirable in itself.
HistoryMedieval: Sources on childbirth are often indirect, fragmented, or written by observers outside the birthing chamber. What were the greatest challenges in reconstructing these moments, and where do the silences remain most pronounced?
Michèle Schindler: One of the greatest challenges is determining how much of the theoretical advice found in medical treatises or recorded traditions was actually followed in practice. Often this requires looking at other types of records, such as household accounts, to see whether the items purchased for an expectant mother correspond with the recommendations found in written sources.
Tracking the movements of these women — and sometimes their husbands — can also be useful. One example is the practice of confinement, during which a woman was expected to remain in secluded female chambers for several weeks before and after giving birth. Since court records often indicate when a queen appeared publicly, it is sometimes possible to see whether she followed this custom. The answers vary considerably from woman to woman.
The area where the evidence is most limited concerns the birth itself. Medical advice recommended positions such as sitting, standing, or walking during labour, but there is almost no direct evidence showing what women actually did. Accounts of the births themselves are extremely rare, leaving modern historians to reconstruct these moments only indirectly.
HistoryMedieval: If there is one assumption about medieval royal women that your book most decisively unsettles, what is it—and why do you think it has endured?
Michèle Schindler: A particularly persistent myth is that women—especially royal women—were expected to give birth while still very young teenagers and that they were considered to have failed in their duties if they did not.
The evidence shows that this was generally not the case. Most royal women gave birth in their mid-teens at the earliest, and many were older. In fact, medieval writings often warned against pregnancies occurring too early, both for moral reasons and because of the obvious physical dangers for mother and child.
The endurance of this myth likely stems partly from the prominence of the Tudor period in popular culture. Margaret Beaufort, the mother of Henry VII, famously gave birth at the age of thirteen. Because this case is so well known, it is often assumed to have been typical. More broadly, the misconception also reflects the persistent portrayal of the Middle Ages as a uniformly backward period, where exceptional cases are sometimes mistaken for common practice.
Most royal women did not give birth as very young teenagers; the evidence shows that many had their first child later.
About the Author
Michèle Schindler is a language instructor specialising in teaching English and German as second languages to both children and adults, and is also proficient in French and Latin. She holds a degree in English Studies and History, with a focus on medieval studies, from Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
As an author, she has written several works on late medieval England, including Lovell Our Dogge (Amberley, 2019), a biography of Francis Lovell; De la Pole, Father and Son (Amberley, 2022); and Mental Health in Late Mediaeval England, which explores psychological distress, care, and perception in the medieval period. She has also self-published the novella The Autumn Baron and contributed to the charity anthology Yorkist Stories, which raised funds for Doctors Without Borders.
Book Discussed in This Interview
Royal Childbirth in the Middle Ages
by Michèle Schindler
This study examines the political, ceremonial, and medical dimensions of childbirth within medieval royal households, showing how the birth of a child could shape dynastic politics, court life, and perceptions of queenship.
Interview conducted by Luciano Anastasi for HistoryMedieval.
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Luciano Anastasi
Luciano is the founder of the MedievalHistory platform and the LinkedIn History Enthusiasts Group, where he is dedicated to curating and sharing high-quality medieval history content. His goal is to engage scholars, teachers, students, and enthusiasts by fostering insightful discussions and promoting scholarly resources on topics from medieval warfare and religion to societal transformations and daily life in the Middle Ages.
Luciano is also an active book reviewer, focusing on academic publications related to medieval history. He recently collaborated with Yale University Press to review forthcoming medieval history titles, aiming to deepen educators' and researchers' understanding of the period. Alongside his history endeavors, he has over 40 years of experience in IT leadership roles across various industries, including the public sector, banking, insurance, airlines and consulting, and has contributed to United Nations projects.
With a Master of Arts in Business Process Management, Luciano combines his expertise in IT strategy and governance with his passion for medieval history. He leverages technology to bridge the academic community and the wider public, making historical scholarship more accessible through engaging online content.
