A Little Medieval Lovin'

by Amanda Forester

“Love and marriage, love and marriage, go together like a horse and carriage…”

Ah the truth of that classic song is undeniable. What could be more natural than marrying for love? Well, in medieval times they would find this sentiment quite odd. Marriages, particularly with those of the upper classes, were arranged based on wealth, inheritance, family status, and political ambitions. The feelings of the persons involved were not a consideration. Political alliances were often sealed with an arranged marriage. Can you imagine President Obama offering up one of his daughters to seal a trade agreement? Yet in medieval times, this was a common occurrence.

Marriages typically occurred when the individuals were quite young. Children may even have been wed if it meant sealing an important alliance. For example, in accordance with the Treaty of Northampton in which England recognized the sovereignty of Scotland with Robert the Bruce as their king, Robert’s son David, and the King of England’s daughter Joan were married in 1328. Joan was seven and David was just four years old at the time of their marriage.

So where did this leave love in medieval society? Enter the creation of “courtly love.” In its romanticized ideal, courtly love ennobled a knight to seek his lady’s favor by being honorable, brave, courteous, and charming. He would “court” her, proving the full extent of his love. In this age of chivalry, courtly love was seen as love for its own sake, without regard to family or fortune.

Here’s where it gets interesting. Since love was theoretically pure, untainted by external demands, it could clearly not exist between married partners, since marriage was essentially a business transaction. Thus, true love could only exist between partners who were NOT married to each other. And since essentially all ladies were married, this meant a romance between a knight and a lady married to someone else. In fact, the illicit nature of the relationship was seen as fundamental to the allure.

The evidence of these beliefs is seen in the love poetry of the time. This love poetry was typically written in aristocratic courts, under the patronage of a noble lady. Andreas Capellanus wrote De Amore (Concerning Love) in 1175 for Countess Marie de Champagne, who theoretically held “courts of love” in which she tried cases of amore. In one story, a knight pursues a married lady, requesting that she offer him her charms. She refuses saying:

“I have a husband renowned for his universal nobility, civility, and moral worth, and it would be wicked to pollute his bed or to be joined in any man’s embraces. For I know that he loves me with all heart’s affection and I am bound to him with all my heart’s devotion.”

Clearly a case of true love – right? Not according to Capellanus. The knight in this story refutes her claim that she is in love with her husband, saying:

“It is clearly known that love cannot claim a place between husband and wife. Although they may be united in great and boundless affection, their feelings cannot attain the status of love because they cannot be gathered under the heading of any true definition of love.”

The knight goes on to claim that love must arise from the passionate desire to have what is not allowed, the allure of forbidden fruit. “Love is nothing other than an uncontrolled desire to obtain the sensual gratification of a stealthy and secret embrace.”

In this story, the knight and lady agree to arbitration from the court of the Countess de Champagne. Shockingly, the knight’s case is upheld by this fictional court, declaring that since no love is possible in a marriage, the lady is free to accept the errant knight as her lover.

In contrast to the cultural beliefs about love at the time, my hero and heroine side with the lady in the above story, experiencing a powerful bond of love - even within marriage! Oh, what rebels! If you’d like to learn more about these rule-breaking lovebirds, check out the book trailers for my debut book, THE HIGHLANDER'S SWORD. Cast your vote for which trailer you like best and you’ll be entered into a drawing to win a free book!

References:
1. Capellanus, NF. Courtly Love. Found in: Canton. The Medieval Reader. HarperPerennial, New York, 1995.
2. Tuchman, BW. A Distant Mirror: the Calamitous 14th Century. Ballantine Books, New York, 1978.

3. Wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_of_the_Tower