In 1310, a woman was led into the center of Paris and burned alive. Her name was Marguerite Porete. Her crime was not violence, conspiracy, or rebellion. It was writing a book.
By Emily Harris • February 25, 2026 • Share Marguerite came from the County of Hainaut, in what is now Belgium. She likely was born in the mid-1200s, though exact dates are uncertain. She joined a religious movement known as the Beguines. The Beguines were laywomen who chose lives of prayer and service without taking … Read more