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Consent and Coercion : Forced Marriages in Supplications to the Apostolic Penitentiary, 1484-1492

Christensen-Nugues, Charlotte LU (2026) In Journal of Medieval History
Abstract (Swedish)
In the late Middle Ages, hundreds of Christians from all over Europe sent supplications to the Papal Curia to be freed from promises made under duress. This article analyses the supplications about forced marriages that were submitted to the Apostolic Penitentiary during the pontificate of Pope Innocent VIII (1484–92). The study is based on mainly unedited source material that has not been investigated before. The article examines who turned to the Penitentiary for annulment because of force (age, gender, and social status), who was designated as the compelling party, and, finally, what kind of coercion the petitioners had been subjected to. Particular focus is given to the narrative strategies of the petitioners and how their stories... (More)
In the late Middle Ages, hundreds of Christians from all over Europe sent supplications to the Papal Curia to be freed from promises made under duress. This article analyses the supplications about forced marriages that were submitted to the Apostolic Penitentiary during the pontificate of Pope Innocent VIII (1484–92). The study is based on mainly unedited source material that has not been investigated before. The article examines who turned to the Penitentiary for annulment because of force (age, gender, and social status), who was designated as the compelling party, and, finally, what kind of coercion the petitioners had been subjected to. Particular focus is given to the narrative strategies of the petitioners and how their stories relate to legal theory and cultural norms in late medieval society. (Less)
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author
organization
alternative title
Samtycke och tvång : Tvångsäktenskap i supplikationer till den Apostoliska penitentiarian, 1484-1492
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
in press
subject
keywords
Medieval, Supplications, Apostolic Penitentiary,, Canon law,, Marriage, Consent, coercion
in
Journal of Medieval History
pages
22 pages
publisher
Taylor & Francis
ISSN
0304-4181
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
0b1792b8-3ee4-47ee-95fd-4f8eaf5d619f
date added to LUP
2026-01-26 17:44:46
date last changed
2026-01-29 16:47:20
@article{0b1792b8-3ee4-47ee-95fd-4f8eaf5d619f,
  abstract     = {{In the late Middle Ages, hundreds of Christians from all over Europe sent supplications to the Papal Curia to be freed from promises made under duress. This article analyses the supplications about forced marriages that were submitted to the Apostolic Penitentiary during the pontificate of Pope Innocent VIII (1484–92). The study is based on mainly unedited source material that has not been investigated before. The article examines who turned to the Penitentiary for annulment because of force (age, gender, and social status), who was designated as the compelling party, and, finally, what kind of coercion the petitioners had been subjected to. Particular focus is given to the narrative strategies of the petitioners and how their stories relate to legal theory and cultural norms in late medieval society.}},
  author       = {{Christensen-Nugues, Charlotte}},
  issn         = {{0304-4181}},
  keywords     = {{Medieval; Supplications; Apostolic Penitentiary,; Canon law,; Marriage; Consent; coercion}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Journal of Medieval History}},
  title        = {{Consent and Coercion : Forced Marriages in Supplications to the Apostolic Penitentiary, 1484-1492}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}