The answer is : The crusades. 
The Crusades were a series of religious wars between Christians and Muslims started primarily to secure control of holy sites considered sacred by both groups. In all, eight major Crusade expeditions — varying in size, strength and degree of success — occurred between 1096 and 1291.
        
             
        
        
        
The women had to live in harsh conditions in Fort union.
Explanation:
In general, in the time of mass migration women have a much harder time trying to migrate or in the middle too. 
Often a woman migrating without men will be subject to atrocities against her.
They were often more poor and in general had less prospects to look forward to in their new nation too. 
They had no opportunity of getting a job and feeding themselves.
Many had to find suitors to marry and more still were pushed into prostitution or extreme poverty,