Medieval History
Like today, the problem of male impotence in the Middle Ages was often serious, and had important consequences for marriages and families. A recent article deals with the issue, explaining how it showed up in court cases in 14th century York.
?Privates on Parade: Impotence Cases as Evidence for Medieval Gender?, by Frederick Pederson, a senior lecturer at the University of Aberdeen, analyses two cases where wives attempted to annul their marriages because they claimed their husbands were impotent. They are among six cases from the city?s records that deal with impotence that survive from the Middle Ages.
These cases were adjudicated in ecclesiastical courts, also known as consistory courts, where decisions were based on canon law. Church officials were responsible for issues relating to marriages and could pronounce an annulment in cases of impotence.
Click here to read this article from Medievalists.net
- Skeletons Point To Columbus Voyage For Syphilis Origins
Skeletons don?t lie. But sometimes they may mislead, as in the case of bones that reputedly showed evidence of syphilis in Europe and other parts of the Old World before Christopher Columbus made his historic voyage in 1492. None of this skeletal evidence,...
- Medieval Records Of The Church Courts Of York Now Online
Fascinating records from the Church Courts of York are now available on-line at the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York, allowing historians new insights into a huge variety of topics over many centuries. From arguments about church...
- When Pregnancy Gets You Out Of A Bad Relationship ? Female Slaves In Medieval Spain
Recent research has uncovered that female slaves in the Spanish city of Valencia were using a novel way to escape their enslavement ? they got pregnant with their master?s child. In the article ?As if she were his wife?: Slavery and Sexual Ethics in Late...
- Viking Thomasinas: Cross-gender Name Elements In Viking Naming Practices
Vikings had the same concerns about choosing their children?s names as we do, says a researcher from the University of Leicester who delivered his paper at a recent Viking conference. The sixth Midlands Viking Symposium was held at the University of Nottingham...
- Were Mixed Christian-jewish Marriages Possible In Late Medieval Poland?
Research in the archives of the Polish city of Poznan has turned up two possible cases of mixed marriage between a Christian and a Jewish person from the 15th century. Since both Christian and Jewish officials had banned such a union, this might be evidence...
Medieval History
Erectile dysfunction in the Middle Ages ? historian examines medieval impotence cases
Like today, the problem of male impotence in the Middle Ages was often serious, and had important consequences for marriages and families. A recent article deals with the issue, explaining how it showed up in court cases in 14th century York.
?Privates on Parade: Impotence Cases as Evidence for Medieval Gender?, by Frederick Pederson, a senior lecturer at the University of Aberdeen, analyses two cases where wives attempted to annul their marriages because they claimed their husbands were impotent. They are among six cases from the city?s records that deal with impotence that survive from the Middle Ages.
These cases were adjudicated in ecclesiastical courts, also known as consistory courts, where decisions were based on canon law. Church officials were responsible for issues relating to marriages and could pronounce an annulment in cases of impotence.
Click here to read this article from Medievalists.net
- Skeletons Point To Columbus Voyage For Syphilis Origins
Skeletons don?t lie. But sometimes they may mislead, as in the case of bones that reputedly showed evidence of syphilis in Europe and other parts of the Old World before Christopher Columbus made his historic voyage in 1492. None of this skeletal evidence,...
- Medieval Records Of The Church Courts Of York Now Online
Fascinating records from the Church Courts of York are now available on-line at the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York, allowing historians new insights into a huge variety of topics over many centuries. From arguments about church...
- When Pregnancy Gets You Out Of A Bad Relationship ? Female Slaves In Medieval Spain
Recent research has uncovered that female slaves in the Spanish city of Valencia were using a novel way to escape their enslavement ? they got pregnant with their master?s child. In the article ?As if she were his wife?: Slavery and Sexual Ethics in Late...
- Viking Thomasinas: Cross-gender Name Elements In Viking Naming Practices
Vikings had the same concerns about choosing their children?s names as we do, says a researcher from the University of Leicester who delivered his paper at a recent Viking conference. The sixth Midlands Viking Symposium was held at the University of Nottingham...
- Were Mixed Christian-jewish Marriages Possible In Late Medieval Poland?
Research in the archives of the Polish city of Poznan has turned up two possible cases of mixed marriage between a Christian and a Jewish person from the 15th century. Since both Christian and Jewish officials had banned such a union, this might be evidence...