Forced Monasticism
# Forced Monasticism

Forced monasticism refers to the practice of compelling a person to enter a monastic life without his or her free consent. Historically, it was practiced within Christendom in some places during the Middle Ages.

## Background

Monasticism usually consists of people separating themselves from the world in a spiritual sense, by foregoing marriage, property and some personal freedom, in order to more greatly pursue service to God. Monks and Nuns may claim to feel a 'calling' that inspires them to pursue this kind of spiritual life. The pursuit of this vocation is usually a choice made freely without compulsion, however, this has not always been the case in practice.

## Political tonsuring in Medieval Christendom

During the time of the early Frankish kingdoms, prominent examples of forced monasticism occurred as a practice used by the Merovingian dynasty against their enemies, including members of their own family.

* Chararic, a king, and his son were both forcibly tonsured by Clovis I after they failed to help Clovis in a war. Both were also forcibly ordained to holy orders. When they tried to resist this and return to secular life, Clovis had them both killed
* Merovech, son of King Chilperic I of Neustria was forced to accept tonsure and ordination to the priesthood by his father after he tried to marry his late uncle's wife and his father suspected him of betrayal
* Theudechild, wife of king Charibert I, was forced into a nunnery after her husband's death

In a related event, Clodoald son of Chlodomer, King of Orleans, cut his own hair and became a priest after his two brothers were murdered by their uncles on account of their keeping their hair long (long hair was a symbol of Frankish royalty, and the uncles didn't want the children to inherit political power).

In Anglo-Saxon England Ceolwulf of Northumbria was forcibly tonsured by his enemies and placed in a monastery, but he escaped. Theuderic III, king of the Franks and Ebroin, Frankish mayor of the palace, were also both forcibly tonsured by political enemies.

## Child monasticism

During the Middle Ages, children were sometimes given by families to monasteries to be raised by them to become monks or nuns. This includes Catholic saints, such as Thomas Aquinas, who was sent by his family into a monastery at the age of 5.

Similar practices have also existed in Buddhism, such as a practice of Tibetan Buddhists of giving pre-pubescent children to monasteries to become monks.

## Single women

Single women in the Middle Ages who came from elite families could also be forced into monasteries, such as when the family wanted to avoid paying the dowry for their marriages.

