Page 54 - All About History - Issue 52-17

Medieval #Trends

LOCATION: WESTERN EUROPE
Much of what people assume about medieval upper-class until much later and couples didn’t need permission to marry. far from private. It wasn’t unusual for the bride to be carried to
marriage is true – it was rarely for love, but rather for political They could do it in a matter of moments by uttering consent, the bed by her family. The ‘act of bedding’ was not regarded
and social gain, and women, as in almost all aspects of which led to marriages in the street, down the pub or even in as an intimate moment, but rather an act of investment in the
medieval life, had no say. In fact, men and women were judged bed. This meant it became rather hard to prove people were union, and one that warranted being observed by witnesses.
as ‘ready’ for marriage as soon as their bodies reached puberty, actually married, so in the 12th century it was declared a holy Some couples had their blushes spared by the luxury of a
as young as 12 for girls and 14 for boys. sacrament that must be observed by God. bed curtain, but this was not the case for everyone, and the
However the marriage ceremony as we know it today was It wasn’t just the marriage that was being observed. The observers would instead wait around the room for the act to
very different. For a start there wasn’t a formal ceremony consummation, especially among upper-class newlyweds, was be ‘completed’.

A medieval wedding night wasn’t
exactly a private affair

“The ‘act of bedding’
was not regarded as an

intimate moment”

LOCATION: FRANCE
As mentioned, most upper-class medieval marriages were often
loveless husks designed purely for financial and social gains. Therefore,
in order to not throw themselves into the nearest bog, medieval
nobles fulfilled their romantic desires in ‘courtly love.’ Undertaken,
not surprisingly, by members of the courts, courtly love allowed lords
and ladies to practise the elements of love regardless of their marital
status. This involved the risqué actions of dancing, giggling and even
holding hands. Sex, however, was strictly forbidden, and reserved
Love was a complicated for one’s spouse only. Courtly love was so popular, a list of rules was
and risky thing at court written up including: “Marriage is no real excuse for not loving.”

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