Amazons, Wives, Nuns, and Witches

About “Amazons, Wives, Nuns, and Witches”

The Roman Catholic Church was central to life in colonial Brazil, shaping the roles and experiences of women through its ideals of purity and the Iberian honor code. Church records from Jesuit missionaries, Catholic officials, and Portuguese Inquisitors show that women had limited opportunities in marriage, education, and religious practice. These documents reveal the strict constraints placed on women’s daily lives. However, they also show how women developed their own religious beliefs and practices, creating a distinct spiritual world that included roles such as wives, mothers, concubines, nuns, and even witches.