Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society
What Happened On A Medieval Wedding Night?
Apr 22, 2025
Join historian Jacqueline Murray, a Professor at the University of Guelph, as she unravels the fascinating world of medieval weddings. Discover what truly happened on wedding nights, the church's strict views on monogamy, and the importance of pleasure in the marriage bed. Dive into whimsical wedding customs and how they shaped celebrations. Murray also discusses the complex dynamics of arranged marriages and the challenges of divorce, revealing how these historical practices continue to impact our understanding of love and relationships today.
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Quick takeaways
- The church's influence on medieval marriage established monogamy as a sacrament, highlighting the intertwining of faith and societal norms.
- Medieval marriages primarily served economic purposes, often prioritizing family alliances and financial stability over personal consent or romantic love.
Deep dives
The Church’s Role in Medieval Marriage
The church played a pivotal role in shaping medieval marriage, promoting monogamy and establishing marriage as a sacrament. After a period of diverse marriage practices among various Germanic tribes, the church sought to standardize marriage in accordance with Christian beliefs. By the early 13th century, marriage had become formalized through clergy involvement, though the marriages themselves were primarily constituted by the vows exchanged between the couple. This shift toward legalized marriage was crucial for ensuring lineage legitimacy and controlling human sexuality, which the church viewed as fundamentally sinful.
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