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The Cistercian life appealed to women, as well as to men, and throughout the twelfth century a growing number of female communities professed to lead the Cistercian life. Although a number of Cistercian abbots were personally involved with these female religious, they were not officially recognised by the Order until 1213.

The Cistercian nunneries came under the jurisdiction of the General Chapter and were placed under the direct supervision of a neighbouring Cistercian abbot who conducted a yearly visitation to oversee discipline and the administration of the house. Until 1222 he also provided the necessary personnel – lay-brothers, chaplain, confessors. Thereafter clerics and priests were affiliated to the Order specifically to administer to the nuns’ spiritual needs. These men were trained in the Cistercian customs and wore the Cistercian habit, but swore their oath of obedience to the abbess.
The Cistercian nunneries flourished during the first half of the thirteenth century, and in Germany they spread ‘like the stars of heaven.’ Whilst the General Chapter backtracked in 1228, and prohibited the incorporation or foundation of additional nunneries, female communities continued to adopt Cistercian customs. Indeed the number of unofficial communities far outnumbered the official nunneries, and it is often rather unclear whether communities were fully incorporated, or simply professed to follow the Cistercian way of life.
[Read more about Cistercian nunneries]

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