Families in Medieval Europe
Jasmine Rodriguez
Marriage:
- was almost always arranged.
- marriages had almost nothing to do with love or romance
- were used to affect the family, the economy, and inheritance
Women:
- were usually regarded less than men, and during marriage the wife was property of the husband
- were regarded as objects, and dogs and beasts
- A wife who scolded her husband would have been beaten and kicked
Divorce:
- was rare and was only permitted by breaking one of the three laws
- the three laws made by the church are age, consent, and consanguinity
- Men could have used the third law and could have had a divorce with his wife by lying that she was actually related to her (to the forth degree, marriage between relatives were not allowed)
- women barely had the privilege to have caused divorce by this method.
Roles of women:
- were the greatest supporters of the medieval household
- without the housewife, their household would never have been so convenient
- one of her first jobs was to go shopping for food
- her other jobs were making beds, cleaning the house, cooking, and also taking care of their personal garden
- medieval women were not only working in their house, but also worked outside, mainly practicing her husband’s craft