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IMC 2005: Sessions

Session 1214: Medieval Marriage: Inter-Generational Relations

Wednesday 13 July 2005, 14.15-15.45

Sponsor:International Academy for Marital Spirituality, Bruxelles
Organiser:Monica Sandor, Independent Scholar, Bruxelles
Moderator/Chair:Monica Sandor, Independent Scholar, Bruxelles
Paper 1214-aBride and Groom, Parents, Relatives: Early Medieval Marriage as an Arrangement between Younger and Older Generations
(Language: English)
Ines Weber, Katholisch-Theologische Fakultät, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen
Index terms: Daily Life, Law, Social History
Paper 1214-bGirls and Guardians: Matrimonial Consent and the Law in Medieval Sweden
(Language: English)
Mia Korpiola, Faculty of Law, University of Helsinki
Index terms: Daily Life, Law, Social History, Women's Studies
Paper 1214-cThe Age at Marriage in Late Medieval France: Ideals and Reality
(Language: English)
Geneviève Ribordy, Department of History, Champlain-St Lawrence College, Québec
Index terms: Demography, Social History
Abstract

Medieval marriage provided several opportunities for interaction between young and old, sometimes in harmony, other times in conflict. Marriage being a social and not merely a personal act, the wider family of the bride and groom were inevitably involved in some way in the contracting of marriage. Despite the Church's emphasis on the importance of the couple's consent, the involvement of parents or older siblings continued to be felt. Moreover, the age differences between spouses could be quite considerable, giving rise to intergenerational relations within a marriage. The session explores these questions for Germany, Sweden and France.