Margaret Clement (prior) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Margaret Clement
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 1539 |
| Died | 20 May 1612 (aged 72–73) |
| Nationality | Kingdom of England |
Margaret Clement (born in 1539 – died May 20, 1612) was an English prioress. A prioress is the leader of a convent, which is a community of nuns. Margaret Clement led the St Ursula's convent in Leuven, a city in what is now Belgium.
Early Life and Education
Margaret Clement was born in England in 1539. Her parents, John and Margaret Clement, were both Catholic. Her mother, Margaret, had been adopted by the famous scholar Thomas More. Margaret's father, John, was a teacher of Greek and Latin, and both her parents taught her at home.
In 1549, when Margaret was about ten years old, her family had to leave England. This was during the reign of King Edward VI, who was changing the country's religion. Many Catholics like the Clements faced difficulties. They went to live in exile, meaning they left their home country for safety.
In 1551, Margaret and her sister Helen started school. They attended a school connected to the St Ursula's convent in Leuven. This convent was run by Augustinian nuns from Flanders (a region in Belgium). It's thought they chose this school because Elizabeth Woodford, a nun who had known their family, was already there.
Becoming a Nun
In 1554, Margaret's family returned to England. While they were there, Margaret told her parents she wanted to become a nun. Her parents supported her choice. They were willing to pay for her to join Syon Abbey, another convent. However, Margaret really wanted to join St Ursula's in Leuven.
After only six years, her parents had to leave England again and went back into exile in Mechelen, another city in Belgium. Margaret, however, stayed focused on her dream of joining St Ursula's.
Leading St Ursula's Convent
Margaret Clement eventually became the leader of the Augustinian convent of St Ursula's in Leuven. She was elected prioress, but it was a very close vote. She won by just one vote!
At the time, there was a rule that prioresses had to be over forty years old. Margaret was younger than that. The nun who came in second place was ten years older than Margaret. However, the bishop of Louvain supported Margaret's election, so she was able to take charge.
Even though St Ursula's was a Flemish convent, it became very popular with English women. Many women from Protestant England, who were facing challenges for being Catholic (this was called "recusancy"), came to St Ursula's to become nuns. Between 1569 and 1606, 28 English women joined the convent. Many people believed this was because Margaret Clement was in charge. Her leadership made the convent a welcoming place for them.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1606, Margaret Clement retired from her role as prioress. A new Flemish prioress was elected. Some of the English nuns were not happy with this choice. They had wanted their candidate, Mary Wiseman, to be elected.
Because of this, a group of six nuns decided to start a new convent specifically for English women. Elizabeth Shirley was chosen to help organize this new English house.
Margaret Clement passed away in Leuven in 1612.
Years later, in 1616 or 1626, Elizabeth Shirley wrote a book about Margaret Clement's life. This book is now believed to be one of the first biographies of a woman written by another woman in the English language. It recorded Margaret's life and how she led St Ursula's convent.
