WikiDamas en Común: Biographies of late medieval noblewomen on Wikipedia

The project ‘WikiDamas en Común: Biographies of late medieval noblewomen’ is an initiative that was born with the aim of enriching Wikipedia and making key female figures of the Middle Ages more visible. In total, the biographies of 17 medieval noblewomen who, due to their significant roles in the society of their time, deserve greater recognition, have been included. 

This project, which culminated on 8 March 2025 on International Women’s Day, was promoted and coordinated by the historian and professor at the University of La Laguna, Raúl Villagrasa Elías; and the wikipedian and designer of technology-based services, Teresa Jular. 

It was also carried out in collaboration with the research teams Scripta manent (IH-CCHS-CSIC) and ‘Sociedades, Procesos, Culturas (siglos VIII al XVIII)’ (UPV/EHU). It also had the support and advice of Wikimedia Spain. 

A project born out of research 

The idea for the project arose at the end of 2024 when historian Raúl Villagrasa, while researching the figure of Mencía de Velasco, realised that many late medieval noblewomen were not represented in Wikipedia, despite their historical relevance. From there, the initiative to reduce the gender gap in the most consulted encyclopaedia in the world was born. 

‘When researching Mencía de Velasco, we realised that many women of her lineage were not represented in the encyclopaedia. From there, we came up with the initiative to contribute to the history of these noble women,’ says Raúl.   

The main objective of the project was to complete Wikipedia with the biographies of at least 16 late medieval noblewomen. These women, many of them unknown, played crucial roles in the history of their time, as defenders of their patrimonial interests and active in the management of manors. Through rigorous research, the biographies were published with a scholarly approach and using reliable historical sources. 

‘We seek to balance the number of women biographies, in this case especially in relation to the men in their families, many of whom already have biographies on Wikipedia,’ says Ana Carrasco, professor at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM).   

Working collaboratively to close the gender gap 

The ‘WikiDamas en Común’ team was made up of historians and experts in digital humanities, who worked collaboratively in a process of co-creation. ‘Two people coordinate, there is a division of tasks, according to the steps we follow, such as the creation of the biographies, revision and validation, editing, contributing information in a collaborative way,’ says Ana Carrasco. 

The process involved the participation of 12 people and a support group from Wikimedia Spain, which allowed the biographies to be validated and published with precision and rigour. This work not only enriched the content of Wikipedia but also facilitated the dissemination of historical knowledge to the general public. 

Forgotten stories that deserve to be told 

These noblewomen played key roles in medieval history, fighting to protect the interests of their families, defending their sons and daughters and even facing violence. ‘We have been able to highlight (in Wikipedia) different issues in which these noblewomen were involved and to show that many of them adopted active roles in the defence of their patrimonial interests, also protecting those of their young sons and, above all, those of their daughters, even defending them against the violence and mistreatment that some suffered at the hands of their husbands’, Teresa remarked. 

Their stories, which have often been forgotten or minimised by traditional historiography, have finally been recognised thanks to this project. ‘The group considers it important to correct the undervaluing of their contribution to manorial society as historiography has been doing until very recently,’ Teresa adds.    

The social and academic impact of the project 

The project has brought together biographies of little-known noble women, providing valuable new knowledge for society, useful for curious people, students and researchers, and all in record time. ‘We have managed to offer a list of biographies of noble women by bringing together information scattered in different media, some of which were very little known,’ argues Ana Carrasco. 

The biographies of these women not only help to balance the gender representation on Wikipedia but also serve as an educational tool for the public and the research community. 

Lessons learned 

The project members agree that the experience was enriching, not only in terms of historical visibility, but also in terms of learning about collaborative work and the importance of using platforms such as Wikipedia for the dissemination of academic knowledge. 

‘I think it has worked well, that each one has contributed in what they knew best and that the collaborative work has been really effective. In addition, it has helped us to work more closely with the Scripta manent team and share scientific knowledge and knowledge transfer,’ says Agurtzane Paz, professor at the Public University of Navarra.   

For her part, Ana Carrasco highlights learning to work as a team, in a very agile, collaborative and fun way. ‘We have worked side by side without the usual pressures of the academic world, but in a relaxed way. And we have learned that Wikipedia can be a very effective tool for dissemination and that it is worthwhile to contribute rigorous knowledge’. 

For Teresa Jular, it was important to understand some of the difficulties encountered by researchers transcribing, reading and interpreting wills, donations and other medieval documents. In addition, she says: ‘… we have also learned from the Wikimedia Spain Association. In addition to their help in providing tutorials and the most correct method for editing on Wikipedia, we have learned from their global analysis and intentions for improvement of this great container of knowledge’.   

Next steps: more women to be made visible 

The project does not end here. The ‘WikiDamas en Común’ team plans to continue collaborating on future editions, including updating Wikidata and translating the biographies into Basque. 

In addition, the group has already identified new noblewomen for inclusion in Wikipedia, demonstrating a commitment to continue fighting for equal representation of women in history. ‘For my part, I would like to continue collaborating in the near future, although this time adapting to other lineages, having exhausted my experience with the Ayala women. There are many more examples,’ says Agurtzane Paz. 

This effort to make women in history visible not only has an immediate impact on the world’s largest digital encyclopaedia, but also opens a path for future initiatives that continue to work for gender equality and the historical visibility of women in all areas of knowledge. 

Discover the stories of these medieval women on Wikipedia and join the fight to close the gender gap in free knowledge! 

WikiDamas en Común Team:   

Raúl Villagrasa Elías and Teresa Jular Pérez-Alfaro (coordinators), Beatriz Benito Rodríguez, Ana Isabel Carrasco Manchado, Ana Galdós Monfort, Nerea Jiménez Pelagio, Cristina Jular Pérez-Alfaro, Cristina Pastor, Agurtzane Paz Moro, Cristina Pérez Pérez Pérez, Ubaldo Villarejo Lucio and Marta Vírseda Bravo.