Intramuros: experiencias, emociones y afectos en la Andalucía Barroca. Monjas “amistadas” y monjas “enamoradas”

Abstract

Close to the end of the Council of Trent, the convents of the archbishopric of Seville reflected the problems related to the affective life of the nuns. Patriarchal criteria and family plans shaped the fate of more than a few women, who sometimes had little chance of adaptation when they took holy orders against their will. In addition, the problems of accepting a rigid enclosure, of which they were not always aware when entering the convent, not only provoked attitudes of active rebellion (what I will call emotional “escapes”, emotional outbursts, “loves” and consequent impulses, were not always intended to go against the rules), they simply let themselves go, projecting themselves towards several objectives, either “private friendships” with their religious sisters or love affairs (of different intensity) with the so-called nun suitors or nun devotees. In this communication we will focus on this group of women, understanding that we are in a reduced world, trapped in the ecclesiastical and procedural sources of the diocesan jurisdiction.

Keywords

• nuns
• Andalusia
• history of emotions
• private friendships
• nuns’ gallants
• XVII century