Preeminent medieval scholar Georges Duby argues that the structure of sexual relationships took its cue from the family and from feudalism–both bastions of masculinity–as he reveals the role of women, what they represented, and what they were in the Middle Ages. Beautifully written in Duby’s characteristically nuanced and powerful style, this collection is an ideal entree into Duby’s thinking about marriage and the diversities of love, spousal decorum, family structure, and their cultural context in bodily and spiritual values. Love and Marriage in the Middle Ages will be of great interest to students in social and cultural history, medieval and early modern history, and women’s studies, as well as those interested in the nature of social life in the Middle Ages.

Georges Duby (1919-1996) was a member of the Academie francaise and for many years held the distinguished chair in medieval history at the College de France. His books include The Three Orders; The Age of Cathedrals; The Knight, the Lady, and the Priest; Love and Marriage in the Middle Ages; and History Continues, all published by the University of Chicago Press.