HSTAM 111 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Leon Battista Alberti, Lateran Council, Dowry
15 May 2017
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Marriage in the high and late middle ages. Lavish prolonged feasting, sometimes tournament (if noble) Marriage at puberty (12 girls, 14 boys) Marriage increasingly regulated by secular and canon law. New couple expected to establish own household. In countryside only 6-7 year age difference. Saw marriage as a means of containing / avoiding sin (sex outside of marriage) Lombard (d. 1164) claims that consummation not important; only need consent. Pope alexander iii (3rd lateran council) reinforces consent. Pope innocent iii (4th lateran council) reinforces consent, 4 degrees of consanguinity (instead of 7), marriages need to be public + announced in church (banns) Council of trent (1563) marriage requires religious ceremony. If man was impotent, woman could get marriage. Men could get divorce if woman failed to give birth. Parents generally arranged/planned marriages: generally tried to consider both family and child"s interests. Often didn"t arrange marriage for all children: dowrys expensive, potential conflict within family, need back-up if son/daughter dies.
