Kolk (2009), "The Expansion of the Queen’s Household (1496-1589)": First of all, France was influenced by the Burgundian court. The memoirs of a lady-in-waiting, Eléonore de Poitiers, written in 1484-7, show that contact between the two courts was close. In the fifteenth century, the Duchess of Burgundy’s hôtel was bigger than that of the Queen, its ceremonial more firmly developed. As we shall see, several offices and dignities would be ‘imported’ from Burgundy into the household of Anne de Bretagne. Kolk, Caroline zum (2009). “"The Household of the Queen of France in the Sixteenth Century"” (bằng tiếng Anh).
Kolk (2009), "The ‘Great Court of Ladies’": Of all these changes, one in particular attracted the attention of contemporary observers: the emergence of noblewomen at court. In 1496, the expansion of Anne de Bretagne’s household went hand in hand with the increase in the number of ladies and maidens-in-waiting (23 in 1490; 39 in 1496-1498). The Queen insisted on their presence at court - according to Brantôme: ‘She [Anne de Bretagne] was the first to begin to gather together the great court of ladies which we still know today, because she had a very great retinue, of both ladies and maidens, and never refused any; and indeed, she asked the gentilshommes, their fathers, who were at court, if they had daughters, and if so who they were, and requested their presence.’ Kolk, Caroline zum (2009). “"The Household of the Queen of France in the Sixteenth Century"” (bằng tiếng Anh).
Kolk (2009), "The ‘Great Court of Ladies’": This evolution continued under the reign of Francis I. As K. Wilson-Chevalier noted, their presence at court was used by the King to make the behaviour of noblemen more polished and introduce into court society a new civility. Ladies and demoiselles were numerous in the entourage of his wife, his mother and his sister. A new peak was attained in the years 1553-1554, when Catherine de’ Medici was regent. The end of the period studied here is marked by a final spectacular increase, beginning in 1579. At the end of the reign of Henri III, 98 women served Louise de Lorraine; the queen mother, Catherine de’ Medici, had 112 suivantes. Kolk, Caroline zum (2009). “"The Household of the Queen of France in the Sixteenth Century"” (bằng tiếng Anh).
Kolk (2009), "The ‘Great Court of Ladies’": Yet the prominence of women at court did not provoke criticism alone; certain noblemen reacted with enthusiasm, especially amongst the younger generation. Ladies quickly became the main attraction of the court because ‘discussions between men about matters of state, hunting and games rapidly become boring, but one is never bored when conversing with honest ladies’. Brantôme reports that if the King left the Queen and ladies to go hunting, or for any other reason, he and his friends were so ‘upset, lost and annoyed’ that they thereafter referred to ‘the court’ not as where the King was, but where the Queen and her ladies were. His conclusion is that ‘a court without ladies is a court without a court’. Kolk, Caroline zum (2009). “"The Household of the Queen of France in the Sixteenth Century"” (bằng tiếng Anh).
Kolk (2009), "The Creation of New Dignities and Offices": During the reign of Francis I, changes affected mainly the noble ladies of the household, the dames and demoiselles d’honneur. In 1523 the office of the Première dame d’honneur, the highest of the women in the Queen’s retinue, gave way to a new dignity, the Dame d’honneur. From 1523 on, every queen had a dame d’honneur; Louise de Lorraine had two, each of whom served for a six month period. The dame d’honneur supervised the ladies-in-waiting and accompanied the queen wherever she went. Like the Chevalier d’honneur, she was involved in the management of household expenditure. A letter from Catherine de’ Médici indicates that her dame d’honneur oversaw the ordering of clothing, medicines and other objects useful to the queen and her ladies. When the queen received visitors, it was she who introduced them and indicated to them their place in the room or at table. At the end of the century, she tasted the queen’s meat and began the service of the meal when, followed by a procession of the queen’s ladies, she brought the first dish to her table. This duty fulfilled, she had the privilege of eating at her own table, placed near that of the queen. Kolk, Caroline zum (2009). “"The Household of the Queen of France in the Sixteenth Century"” (bằng tiếng Anh).
Kolk (2009), "The Creation of New Dignities and Offices": Among the queen’s ladies was a Dame d’atours, whose responsibility was to dress her mistress. The evolution of this office is instructive, since it demonstrates the growing prestige that surrounded members of the royal family. Isabeau de Bavière and Charlotte de Savoie had several femmes and demoiselles d’atours, but most of these women were not noble: their rank and wages were those of a simple chambermaid. The status of this category of women did not evolve in the fifteenth century. It was under the reign of Francis I that physical contact with the queen was given greater importance. Only one lady of high rank, or a relation of the queen, would hold this privilege from this point on. She appeared with the designation ‘Dame d’atours’ for the first time in 1534. Kolk, Caroline zum (2009). “"The Household of the Queen of France in the Sixteenth Century"” (bằng tiếng Anh).
Kolk (2009), "The Creation of New Dignities and Offices": In 1531 another new dignitary, the Gouvernante des filles, appeared in the hôtel of Eléonore d’Autriche. This office had previously existed at the Burgundian Court under the name of mere des filles and should not be confused with that of the governess of the royal children, who was responsible for the household of the royal couple’s offspring. The Gouvernante des filles was in charge of the young noblewomen of the queen’s retinue, the demoiselles. She had to oversee their behaviour and education. In so doing, she took upon herself a portion of the responsibilities of the Dame d’honneur. The rise in the number of demoiselles led to the expansion of this office: from 1547 Catherine de’ Medici employed two Gouvernantes and several Sous-gouvernantes. Kolk, Caroline zum (2009). “"The Household of the Queen of France in the Sixteenth Century"” (bằng tiếng Anh).
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Hậu sinh Khổng Tử, "Hôn nghi": 古者天子后立六宮、三夫人、九嬪、二十七世婦、八十一御妻，以聽天下之內治，以明章婦順；故天下內和而家理。天子立六官、三公、九卿、二十七大夫、八十一元士，以聽天下之外治，以明章天下之男教；故外和而國治。故曰：天子聽男教，後聽女順；天子理陽道，後治陰德；天子聽外治，後聽內職。教順成俗，外內和順，國家理治，此之謂盛德。 Hậu sinh Khổng Tử. Lễ ký.
Weir (2013), “Elysabeth ye Quene”: Elizabeth’s mother once had just five ladies-in-waiting, but Spanish ambassador Rodrigo de Puebla was astonished to discover that "the Queen has thirty-two ladies, very magnificent and in splendid style," who attended her even in private. Eighteen of them were noble-women. In 1502–03, Elizabeth had seven maids of honor, who each received salaries of £6.13s.4d. [£3,300], while sixteen gentlewomen each got £3.6s.8d. [£1,620] per annum. There were also three chamberers—women who attended the Queen in her chamber or, more specifically, bedchamber. Weir, Alison (2013). “Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World”. NEW YORK TIMES.
Lê Thái Dũng (8 tháng 5 năm 2012). “Người phụ nữ đầu tiên được phong làm quan”. Chuyên trang Phụ nữ & Đời sống (phunutoday.vn) của báo điện tử nguoiduatin.vn. Bản gốc lưu trữ ngày 19 tháng 6 năm 2013. Truy cập ngày 15 tháng 4 năm 2013.
Ngô Sĩ Liên (1697), "Trần kỷ・Minh Tông Hoàng đế kỷ": Bấy giờ, Thượng hoàng có ý xuất gia, nên sai cung nhân ăn chay. Các cung nhân đều ngần ngại, duy có nữ quan Nguyễn Thị Diên chặt ngón tay đem dâng. Thượng hoàng ngợi khen, ban cho 40 mẫu ruộng làm lương ăn tu hành ngày sau. Rồi Thị Diên quả nhiên đi tu cho đến lúc mất, Phật hiệu là Tịnh Quang ni. Ngô Sĩ Liên (1697). Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư.
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Lê Thái Dũng (8 tháng 5 năm 2012). “Người phụ nữ đầu tiên được phong làm quan”. Chuyên trang Phụ nữ & Đời sống (phunutoday.vn) của báo điện tử nguoiduatin.vn. Bản gốc lưu trữ ngày 19 tháng 6 năm 2013. Truy cập ngày 15 tháng 4 năm 2013.
Ngô Sĩ Liên (1697), "Trần kỷ・Minh Tông Hoàng đế kỷ": Bấy giờ, Thượng hoàng có ý xuất gia, nên sai cung nhân ăn chay. Các cung nhân đều ngần ngại, duy có nữ quan Nguyễn Thị Diên chặt ngón tay đem dâng. Thượng hoàng ngợi khen, ban cho 40 mẫu ruộng làm lương ăn tu hành ngày sau. Rồi Thị Diên quả nhiên đi tu cho đến lúc mất, Phật hiệu là Tịnh Quang ni. Ngô Sĩ Liên (1697). Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư.
