The first book to specifically examine the contribution of women to the Humilati movement providing original archival evidence which indicates that women dominated the groups'' membership. These findings have implications for both women''s spirituality and women''s work, correcting the received opinion that the patriarchical nature of Italian society and of the Church limited the institutional options available to women. It also suggests that women found innovative ways to participate in the increasingly restrictive textile industry of the region. This work provides a glimpse at the novel ways in which in medieval Italy women were able to satisfy their spiritual and economic needs within the confines of a male dominated Church and society.