This publication sheds light on the various kinds of religious lives open to medieval women. Entering a cloister was more than simply deciding to lead a contemplative life devoted to prayer. Cloister life allowed women access to extensive education, and the writings of many a religious woman influenced the theology and knowledge of the Middle Ages. Others acceded to power and respect within the hierarchy of the cloister. They headed up widely connected orders or, as magnates, hosted royalty and were confident rulers of empires. Through essays and brief texts this richly illustrated volume relates information about the many different facets of women's lives in medieval cloisters. It takes a look at the everyday lives of nuns; provides room for these educated, influential, and poised women to speak for themselves; and introduces their spheres of belief and existence from the ninth to the early sixteenth century in Europe, especially in Switzerland.