Beguine

They were self-supporting businesswomen, often excelling in the textile and lace-making industries .

They lived in unique, walled communities called beguinages —often "mini-cities" with their own gardens, hospitals, and churches. Legacy & Criticism Book Review: The Wisdom of the Beguines - CBE International beguine

The Beguines were laywomen in Northern Europe (12th–14th centuries) who lived religious lives without taking formal vows or entering a cloister. They were self-supporting businesswomen