medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
In theory, there were three possible relationships which could be
impediments to marriage: consanguinity (blood-relation), affinity
(relation to your spouse's blood relations), and spiritual affinity
(primarily godparents/godchildren). I believe that spiritual
affinity, unlike the other two, is not passed down through
generations or to siblings. That is, you could not marry the godson
or goddaughter of your father or mother, but you could marry his or
her sibling or other relative. There seem to be some additional
technicalities, not all of which I understand, which extend to
siblings and one generation removed. And I don't recall anything
about wet-nurse relations in Gratian at all. For practical
application, you'd have to look at actual cases, for instance, R.H.
Helmholz, *Marriage Litigation in Medieval England* (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1974).
The standard survey, which I don't have at hand, is James Brundage,
*Law, Sex, and Christian Society in Medieval Europe* (Chicago:
University of Chicago Press, 1997). It proceeds historically, but
should have something on your questions.
Another person who would be able to help is John T. Noonan, though I
can't recall any specific writing of his which would deal with the
question at hand.
The relevant sections of Gratian are: C. 30 (on spritual affinity)
and C. 35 (on consanguinity, affinity, and incest). The standard
Latin edition is at:
http://mdz.bib-bvb.de/digbib/gratian
Not that it helps now, but these will be translated in *The Medieval
Canon Law of Marriage: The Decretum and the Liber Extra,* edited and
translated with John T. Noonan, Jr., and Charles J. Reid, Jr. (Emory
University Studies in Law and Religion; Grand Rapids MI: Wm. B.
Eerdmans, [forthcoming]).
--Jonathan
On 23 Apr 2007, at 8:28 AM, Ms B M Cook wrote:
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and
> culture
> I understand that in the 12th C seven degress of kinship
> consitiuted "consanguinity" for the purposes of annullment of a
> marriage, but that the law on "incest" was even more complex than
> that.
>
> Am I right that the child of your god-parent was as prohibited as a
> sexual partner as the child of one of your parents ? And how far
> did this prohibition extend ? Was marriage to a cousin of a god-
> parent forbidden ?
>
> And what about the far more physical connection of one's wet-
> nurse's family ? Were sexual relations with one's "milk-brother /
> sister" likewise forbidden and again, how far did this extend ?
> Presumably one could not take one's wet-nurse as one's mistress !!!
>
> Guidance on an EASY book on the subject would be much appreciated.
>
> BMC
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