The "Marriage Crisis" in 12th Century Europe
Finally in 1215 the Church came to a partial conclusion. The forbidden seventh degree of consaguinity was changed back to the fourth degree. Brides must be endowed and there must be public wedding ceremonies preceded by the publication of banns. Although such publicity seemed to make clandestine marriages impossible, the Church would still not nullify clandestine marriages or make any statement on monogamous concubinage. It seems they still had a few kinks to work out.
Sources: Gies, Frances and Gies, Joseph, Marriage and the Family in the Middle Ages. New York, 1987.
Mitterauer, Michael and Reinhard, Sieder, The European Family. Chicago, 1982.
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