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Description of  The Cult of St Ursula and the 11,000 Virgins

The legend of St Ursula is an epic tale which recounts how this daughter of a British king, reluctantly agreed to marry a pagan prince in order to save her father's kingdom, but delayed the betrothal by insisting on performing one final pilgrimage to Rome in the company of 11,000 virgins. The virgins never returned to Britain, having reputedly been martyred in Cologne. In the twelfth century, a mass grave was discovered and it was claimed that these were the relics of St Ursula and her companions. This book looks in detail at the history and cult of St Ursula, and traces the development of her legend explaining why she became so popular in many different countries and regions. Medieval art, music and legend inspired by Ursula's heroic martyrdom are all discussed here for the first time. The book will also be of great interest to students of medieval literature, history, gender studies, religious studies, and the history of music.