Christine de Pizan presenting her book to Queen Isabeau of Bavaria. Christine de Pizan (1364-c.1430) was an Italian-born French medieval writer of many works, including poems of courtly love, a biography of Charles V of France, and several works championing women. She was court writer for several dukes and for the French royal court of King Charles VI. She was highly regarded in her own day and completed 41 works during her 30 year career. She can be regarded as Europe's first professional woman writer. She married at the age of 15 and was widowed 10 years later. Much of the impetus for her writing came from her need to earn a living for herself and her three children. Her most famous book is the protofeminist work "The Book of the City of Ladies."