JamesFaith

And in most of Europe guilds allowed women to work in their fathers and husbands forges and in some cases they were allowed to own and run forge if they inherit one, I don't have any knowledge if they did or didn't have these exceptions in Bohemia. It should probably also be mentioned that even though woman could own and run forge she could not get guild's permit, which often meant that she needed to sell forge or hire journeyman work for her to actually run her forge. Yes woman in Bohemia can inherit husbands forge and continue in his craft, but I'm not sure about daughters. I tried to check it in my materials and on net but I found only guild rules for widows - f.e. they can only married another mister or journeyman who have to ask for mister privilege, marriage with anyone else would lead to lose of smith privilege. Also there were small differences in heirship in different regions of Bohemia based on city laws. But because wife had obligation to help his husband in his craft (so she was considered able to continue in his job) and daughters hadn't, I consider more probable that daughters inherits possession, but not smith privilege and have to sell or rent their forge. (but not 100% sure here)

Thanks. Unfortunately I can't provide references to all three points of my arguments because they are (surprisingly) in Czech. But my knowledge about women in medieval law came from studies on law university (so it was taken directly from textbooks and notes from lessons) and Asian raiders in Europe are one of my favorite part of history so I have quite detailed information about them. First Moor in Bohemia is relatively common known fact from basic school because travel of Lev z Rožmitálu is important part of our history and journal was later novelized by one of classic Czech writers. But this part is from original journal (only in Czech online and I wasn't able to found Latin translation). But at least I can show you mentioned difference between castles. a) Castle in France Chateau de Pierrefonds b) One of biggest Gothic castle in Bohemia Karlštejn c) And finally castle Pirkštejn which would appear in KC:D. As you can see, difference in quite obvious. Edit: Sorry, pictures don't worked (I rarely used them in forums.) . So use provided links to Wiki, please.

When I read this article I can see where your "flawed" ideas about medieval Bohemia came from. I don't mean it as insult or such just let me try to explain where problems are. 1) Castles - your vision of Bohemian castle obviously much differ from reality and its probably caused by language barrier. When most castles in France, Italy or Spain looked like you described, most Bohemian castle (including both in KC:D, where second was ruin) were more mere keeps with less then 50, 40 inhabitants. In 15th century there were less then 10 castles in whole including one in capital Prague with noblemen rich enough to have court or sponsor artisans. 2) Women - first problem with woman as main character start with main setting as blacksmith. Smithery was very lucrative business in this era and was bound by strict guild laws - and one of them was no women. Romantic idea about daughter helping h father and becoming smith is nowadays fantasy. In this era you need permission of guild to become apprentice, then study about 7 years and then again got permission for own smith shop. Try it different and live elsewhere then deep border woods and mountains and you would most probably end with broken hands and fingers because crippling injuries were popular solution of freelancer problems in guild sphere of influence. In fact there is only one case when woman can become blacksmith - when she was widow of blacksmith and it was temporally till next marriage, first adult son or acknowledging of apprentice of deceased smith. 3) Ethnicity in central Bohemia - except Jews and Gypsies there were none. Bohemia was only nation in central Europe spared of raiders invasion from Asia. Mongols in 13th century literally stopped at Bohemia doorstep after plundering Poland and Hungary because Genghis Khan died month before planned invasion and immediately Mongols returned to Central Asia to fight for khan title. All later Asians settlement were founded hundreds of kilometers further on east and southeast. And when people with dark skin were quite common in southern Europe, France and England, in central Bohemia were extremely rare and only as visitors. Reasons are simple - Bohemia region never was destination for African slaves, in fact it was major source of Slavic slaves till 12th century. - Bohemia had no access to sea so it didn't participate in colonialism. - Bohemia had no direct trade route to Middle East and Africa. Goods from these region arrived to southern Europe, then to France or Vienna and than, accompanied by French and German trader, to Bohemia. In fact first written evidence about man with black skin came from year 1467 (sixty years after KC:D). It was two Portuguese slaves, gift from Portuguese king to Czech emissary Lev z Rožmitálu. And in this journal was even written dialog between P. king and Lev about "Moors" in Bohemia because king was surprised by Lev request of such cheap present (hundreds of thousand slaves came through Portugal these days). And Lev said : "There are none and we rarely saw them." Ufff.... this a HUGE wall of text, I know, but I hope it help to understand how diffident was situation in central Bohemia against Southern Europe and France which are today often presented as model of ethnic diversity for whole Europe.