Historical Dictionary of Lesbian Literature - Scarecrow Press

Chronology
c. 630 B.C.E. Birth of the poet Sappho on the Island of Lesbos. Her
poems are popular and well respected for the next several centuries.
380 C.E. Gregory of Nazianzus orders the burning of Sappho’s work.
c. 550 The Sanskrit language book known as the Kama Sutra is compiled
from a number of older sources. In it, women are classified according
to economic, sexual and social relationships, including those
that are independent of men.
1001 The Arabic language poet Walladah bint Al-Mustakfi is born in
what is now Spain. Her poetry argues for the equality of women and
celebrates her passion for a female lover.
1073 Pope Gregory VII orders the second burning of Sappho’s work.
1098 Birth of the philosopher, composer, poet and mystic Hildegard of
Bingen in Germany. Her medical works contain what may be the first description
of the female orgasm. Hildegard wields such influence that
when her “special companion,” a woman named Ricardis, is assigned to
a separate convent, she writes to the Pope in anger, and is taken seriously.
1248 Angela of Folignio is born in Umbria (now Italy). After the deaths
of her husband and children (for which she prayed to God) she founds
an all female independent community and begins recording her visions
through a confessor. At this period, a number of all female lay communities
(whose members are often referred to as beguines) exists throughout
France and Italy.
1405 Christine de Pizan writes The Book of the City of Ladies.
1516 Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso first appears in print in
Venice.
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