Accursia

Accursia of Accorsia (ca. 1230–1281) was allegedly an Italian jurist from Bologna, whose existence is debated.

Said to be a daughter of prominent Bolognan lawyer Accorso da Bagnolo, Accursia is said to have taught law in the Bologna studium, becoming a model of a cultured woman, capable of carrying out the activities reserved for men. She is also said to have written a tract about "wether a woman should be taken by an educated man, and if so what sort of man?"

Doubts about the existence of Accursia arose in the Eighteenth Century when the Camaldolese father Mauro Sarti, historian of the University of Bologna, found no trace of her in the ancient documents of the studium. The earliest mention of Accursia is found in a document by the jurist Alberico da Rosciate, who wrote "I heard that Accursius had a daughter, who actually studyied at Bologna" suggesting that her existence was dubious.

While there is some doubt about there being a female lawyer named Accursia, there are better documented female jurists of the medieval era like Bettisia Gozzadini, lending some credibility to more female jurists operating in 13th century Bologna.