In this modern society, we have the tendency to ascribe our ideas and ideals to past cultures. We have romanticizad the Middle Ages, particularly with respect to love and marriage. I find that many people, myaelt included, have grown up believing that marriage in the Middle Ages was always for the highest of purposes, true love and procreation. These ballets were fueled by tairy tales where the prince marries only the woman he loves. There was debate in part ot the Middle Ages about whether love could exist in marriage. Inatead ot thia modern ideal, people in the Middle Ages would otten marry for more aecular reaaona than love or procreation; reasons such as money, political alliances, and avoidance ot scandal or punishment.
There were so many marriages baaed on reasons other than love that there was some doubt of whether love could exist between a husband and wife. In The Art of Courtly Love, a man of nobility, speaking to a woman of a lower nobility, says, "I admit a it is true that your husband is a very worthy man and that he is more blest than any man in the world because he haa been worthy to have the joy of embracing Your Highness. But I am greatly aurpriced that you wish to misapply the term 'love' to that marital affection which husband and wife are expected to feel for each other after marriage, since everybody knows that love can have no place between husband and wife." The man goes on to say, "For what is love but an inordinate desire to receive passionately a furtive and hidden embrace?" (Tierney, p.317) The man in this text appears to have a very cynical view that is based on the idea that most marriages are based on reasons other than love. Of course, that text should be read with a grain of salt. It could also be interpreted as a aingle man trying to obtain access to the woman's bed. On the other hand, there is evidence that even arranged marriages could have love between husband and wife. In a letter to Katherine Ryche, Thomas Beston writes, "And therefore I pray you, my own sweet cousin, even as you love me, to be happy and to eat your meat like a woman. And if you will do so for my love, look what you will desire of me, whatsoever it may be, and by my troth I promise be the help of our Lord to perform 1110 the beat of my power." (Douglas, p.1204) Even though the marriage was arranged, there is evidence in this letter that the couple were in love and devoted to each other. It appears that the issue of love in marriage then is much as ills now. These texts illustrate the possibility of marriage for mundane reasons while still leaving room for marriages of love.
Monetary gain was often the reason behind a medieval marriage. A woman's wealth, or a man's, could be one of the most important factors in deciding eligibility. Roger Kegmorthe writing to his master, Robert Hallum, tells of a woman "reputed honest and of good conversation who can spend forty marks a year, and after her mother's death she will be able to spend twenty pounds a year". He also goes on to ask Robert to "have a look at the said woman, and to find out what goods and rents she has at present and what she will have in days to come". (Douglas, p.1194) Roger does not ask about her honesty. beauty, or family even though he has apparently never even met the woman. He is more concerned with whether the lady is actually rich or just rumored to be. In his diary, Luca Landucci writes of his marriage to his wife Salvestra, "A Saturday and the eve of the Spirito Santo, I was wedded to a daughter of Domenico, son of Domenico Pagni, whose name was Salvestra. She had a dowry of 400 florins, in the state funds, praise GodI" (Tierney, p. 369) Landucci appears very grateful for his bride's money, more so than for the bride herself. A church deposition of 1394 appears to be concerned about whether a man, Thomas, was coerced into marrying his wife Margery so her family could have his money or whether he married his wife to use her money to pay off debts. (Goldberg, pp.103-109) These texts emphasizes person's wealth as a legitimate reason for marriage.
Avoidance of scandal and punishment was another reason for marriage at some times. Depositions taken in a church court about the marriage of John Waryngton and Margaret Barker illustrate this very well. John had had an affair with Margaret and other servants, prior to the marriage, that their master, John Brown, had discovered. Warynglon was told to stop his misbehavior. To insure this, Brown coerced Waryngton into marrying Margaret by threatening Waryngton with imprisonment for the crimes (Goldberg, p.110-114). This is still a concern in our modern era with unwed mothers and their lovers being pressured into marriage.
Another reason for marriage, particularly among the upper nobility, was political alliance. What better way to crate peace or cement a deal tha~ to become related by marriage? I have here some examples of political marriages. In a description of the death of Anne Duchess of Bedford and the subsequent remarriage of the duke, the writer said, "The Duke of Bedford was very sad indeed at the death of this noble lady, and so were all those who were of his party, for they feared that because of this unhappy event the love and alliance which for a long time had existed between her husband and Duke Philip of Burgundy, who had loved her very dearly, would grow somewhat cold..." (Douglas, p.248). Although the Duke loved his wife, it is apparent that the marriage was originally made mostly for the political connections. The second example is a chronicle of the marriage of King Edward IV. "Also the fourth year of King Edward the Earl of Warwick was sent into France for a marriage for the King, for one fair lady, sister-daughter to the King of France, which was concluded by the Earl of Warwick" )Douglas, p.294). A great effort was made to find a wife for the king that would facilitate an alliance with France. Unfortunately, this effort came to nothing since King Edward married Elizabeth Gray, in secret, while the Earl was in France. This marriage arranged by the Earl of Warwick was deemed so important that the secret marriage strained relations between the Earl and the King for the rest of their days. In 1328, to cement the new peace with Scotland, the Oueen of England arranges a marriage. "Also, the aforesaid young king gave his younger sister, my lady Joan of the Tower, in marriage to David, son of Robert de Brus, King of Scotland, he being then a boy five years old. (Douglas, p.50)" This marriage was obviously political since the husband was only five, and not to be expected to fall in love or procreate yet. Later, in 1337, King Edward Ill utilized the marriages of relatives to built an alliance against France. A chronicle of the time says, "... wherefore the King of England prepared to fight him (the King of France), having and making alliance with the following nobles oversea as his mercenaries, to wit, my Lord the Emperor Lewis, who was then King of Germany, and Duke of Bavaria, and had married the Oueen of England's sister, and was at dire enmity with the King of France: item, the Duke of Brabant, son of the King of England's maternal aunt: item. the Count of Hainault, the queen's brother-german; item, the Count of Guelders, who had married the King of England's sister... (Douglas, pp.61-62)." The relatives by marriage appear to have been crucial in the preparations to make war on France. Here is yet more evidence that marriage did influence political alliances between foreign powers in the Middle Ages. In a reaffirmation of an alliance, ills written, "John, Regent of the realm of France, Duke of Bedford, Philip Duke of Burgundy, and John Duke of Brittany, to all those to whom these letters shall come, greeting. Know ye, that in consideration of the great friendships and nearness of kinship which now exist between us on account of the marriages concluded between us... (Douglas, p.234)."
At some times, marriage for love was disapproved of. Particularly when it was a noble woman with a socially inferior man. In one such marriage, between Richard Calle and Margery Paston, the woman was disowned by her mother for marrying below her social class. In a letter, Margaret Paston, one of Margery's relatives, wrote, "I was with my mother at her place when Margery was examined. and when I heard say what her behaviour was, I charged my servants that she should not be received in my house... I sent to one or two more that they should not receive her if she came." Margaret also wrote, "I pray you and require you that you take it not to heart, for I know well that it goes right near your heart, and so it does to mine and to those of others; but remember, and so do I, that we have lost of her but a wanton" (Douglas, 1202- 1203). Extreme measures were taken against Margery, who disobeyed her family and married below her station for love.
Marriage in the middle ages was often entered into, not for the religious ideals of love and procreation, but for more secular reasons. The middle and lower classes would often marry for money or scandal, but the upper nobility would often marry to affirm political alliances. Love did have a place in medieval marriage, but only if it is deemed appropriate by the family or if the husband and wife grow into love after the marriage was arranged. A woman marying below her class, unless her intended was wealthy, could be censured and disowned.