Guglielmite

From Italian guglielmita. By surface analysis, Italian Guglielma +‎ -ite.

Guglielmite (plural Guglielmites)

1. A follower of the Italian noblewoman Guglielma of Bohemia (1210–1281), who practiced and preached an alternative, feminized version of Christianity in which she predicted the end of time and her own resurrection as the Holy Spirit incarnate.

   Synonym: Guillelmite

   • 1901, Henry Charles Lea, “Political Heresy Utilized by the Church”, in A History of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages. […], volume III, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC, page 201:

     [T]he defence of Maifreda is replaced by a statement that Matteo had interfered to save Galeazzo, who was now stated to have been a Guglielmite.

   • 1995, Barbara Newman, “Notes”, in From Virile Woman to WomanChrist: Studies in Medieval Religion and Literature (Middle Ages Series), Philadelphia, Pa.: University of Pennsylvania Press, →ISBN, note 46, page 297:

     Except for Stefano Crimella, no spouse of a Guglielmite was implicated or sentenced.

   • 1996, Nigel Cawthorne, “Pope Joan”, in Sex Lives of the Popes: An Irreverent Exposé of the Bishops of Rome from St Peter to the Present Day (Sex Lives), London: PRION, →ISBN, page 59:

     With her disciples, Maifreda began to prepare for her pontificate. They planned a new college of cardinals which would consist largely, if not wholly, of women. Boniface and the Inquisition did not take too kindly to such talk and Maifreda and her Guglielmites were burnt at the stake.