Bettisia Gozzadini also known as Bitisia Biltisia and Beatrix (1209 – 2 November 1261), was a Bolognese

jurist A jurist is a person with expert knowledge of law; someone who analyzes and comments on law. This person is usually a specialist legal scholar, mostly (but not always) with a formal education in law (a law degree) and often a Lawyer, legal prac ...

who lectured at the

University of Bologna The University of Bologna (, abbreviated Unibo) is a Public university, public research university in Bologna, Italy. Teaching began around 1088, with the university becoming organised as guilds of students () by the late 12th century. It is the ...

from about 1239. She is thought to be the first woman to have taught at a university.

Life

Gozzadini was born in the commune of

Bologna Bologna ( , , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It is the List of cities in Italy, seventh most populous city in Italy, with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nationalities. Its M ...

in northern Italy in 1209; her parents, Amadore Gozzadini and Adelasia de' Pegolotti, were of the

nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. T ...

. Gozzadini studied philosophy, and then studied law under Giacomo Baldavino and Tancred of Bologna at the Studium of Bologna, where she also received encouragement from Odofredo. As a young woman, she dressed as a man; it is not known whether this was because of social pressures or was from personal choice. She graduated from the university in 1237, and for two years taught law at her home. She was offered chair at the Studium, which she at first declined but later accepted. According to legend, she had to wear a veil when teaching, to avoid distraction to her students; however, the same legend is also attached to Novella d'Andrea, and it is not known which – if either – it belongs to. Gozzadini was a noted

orator An orator, or oratist, is a public speaker, especially one who is eloquent or skilled. Etymology Recorded in English c. 1374, with a meaning of "one who pleads or argues for a cause", from Anglo-French ''oratour'', Old French ''orateur'' (14 ...

, and on 31 May 1242 she gave the

oration Public speaking, is the practice of delivering speeches to a live audience. Throughout history, public speaking has held significant cultural, religious, and political importance, emphasizing the necessity of effective rhetorical skills. It all ...

at the funeral of the Bishop of Bologna, Enrico della Fratta. Gozzadini died with two other women and four students on 2 November 1261, when flooding of the Idice caused the collapse of the house where they had taken refuge after fleeing from her villa on the river between and Riccardina, now in the

comune A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...

of Budrio to the east of Bologna. There was general mourning in the city and the schools were closed. Her funeral was held at the church of the Padri Serviti.

Reception

Gozzadini is thought to be the first woman to have taught at a university. Her later fame as a lawyer might have been prompted by an historical defense of the female doctorate written by Alessandro Macchiavelli in the 18th century. Macchiavelli was known to fill in the gaps of his knowledge by fabricating stories about his subjects. A

terracotta Terracotta, also known as terra cotta or terra-cotta (; ; ), is a clay-based non-vitreous ceramic OED, "Terracotta""Terracotta" MFA Boston, "Cameo" database fired at relatively low temperatures. It is therefore a term used for earthenware obj ...

bust of her, one of a series of twelve representations of notable Bolognese women by the un-named "Scultore di Casa Fibbia", dates from the late seventeenth century. It was originally in the Salone d'Onore of Palazzo Fibbia Fabbri – now Palazzo Masetti Calzolari – and is now in the Museo della Storia di Bologna in Palazzo Pepoli. Gozzadini is the earliest of the twelve women depicted. Her writings, on the ''Digest'' and on the '' lex omnes populi'', are believed lost.

References

1209 births 1261 deaths 13th-century Italian women 13th-century Italian jurists Italian women lawyers Italian lawyers Italian women academics Academic staff of the University of Bologna Women legal scholars {{bots, deny=Citation bot