"Shaming His Honest Family": Noble Male Misalliances in Reformation Swedish Law and Practice
- Autores: Mia Korpiola
- Localización: Zeitschrift der Savigny-Stiftung für Rechtsgeschichte: Germanistische Abteilung, ISSN 0323-4045, Nº 135, 2018
- Idioma: inglés
- Títulos paralelos:
- "Der ehrenwerten Familie Schande bereiten": Standeswidrige Heiraten Adeliger im schvedischen Recht der Reformationszeit und in der Praxis
- Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
-
Resumen
This article investigates attitudes towards misalliances of noblemen in sixteenth- andeartj seventeenth-century Sweden. Across sixteenth-century Europe, an emphasis on the Ten Com mandments and honouring one's father and mother can be observed. This bolstered patriarchal trends of Controlling the marriages of all children - including sons. Prohibitions of misalliances with arguments related to safeguarding family splendour and honour appeared. As Swedish noblemen customarily consulted their kin before contracting marriage, misalliances without consultation or against family advice were considered offensive. Yet, they had no legal repercussions. Advice books and family correspondence canvassed suitable wifely qualities, and by the 1590s, even law courts had occasionally to deal with noble male misalliances. Finally.in the Swedish Privileges of the Nobility of 1622, noble misalliances were forbidden, and reference was made to a wish better thereby to preserve "the noble estate's esteem and reputation".
