How did Christine de Pisan defend women’s education?

Christine de Pisan, often recognized as the first feminist philosopher, defended women’s education by challenging the prevailing misogynistic attitudes of her time. She argued that women were the intellectual equals of men and that their perceived inferiority was a result of a lack of access to education rather than an inherent lack of capability.1

Her defense was primarily articulated through her literary works, most notably The Book of the City of Ladies (1405). In this text, she countered negative male writing by documenting the lives of numerous women of accomplishment, including those noted for their learning and skill. By highlighting these historical examples of female heroism, virtue, and intellect, she sought to dismantle the stereotypes that justified the exclusion of women from educational opportunities. Her work served as a foundational argument for the intellectual potential of women, establishing a legacy that influenced later thinkers in the ongoing "debate about women".231