I’ve only found your channel recently, but I’m hooked. (So is my seven-year-old daughter; she’ll come to ask me to “watch the smart girl that talks pretty”-we’re in the US.) I think by you not judging the governments or medical communities when it comes to COVID is very refreshing. So many people seem to think if they’re educated on one subject matter, that makes them educated on every matter. Thank you for making history interesting. One day when you’re prepping for a video, I hope you remember that there’s a little girl in Kansas, USA that’s waiting to watch it. Stay well.
I worked with a girl from Switzerland in about 1996. Although she lived in the US and was marrying a US citizen, they still had to publish banns before they could marry.
@@janicesnyder9305 as a child in Southamerica, I remember the church placing the Announcement of a forthcoming marriage and for those who objected to it to come forward. I was too young to understand.
I found this quite fascinating. I am a genealogist specializing in Canadian fur trade kinship ties between 1760 and 1830. During that period of time, the marital arrangements between French, Scottish and English fur traders and the Indigenous population was described as "a la facon du pays" or a "country marriage". These were essentially hand fast marriages because priests to formalize the marriages were hard to find in the backwoods. Some of these marriages were of short duration and others life long. If a fur trader were to "cast off" his Native or Metis wife, then he was responsible for arranging her next marriage and for providing financially for any children they had together. To not do so would impact his reputation and limit his ability to purchase furs and tus his value to the merchants. Further more, no country marriages could take place if the fur trader had a wife in the Canadas or back in Britain. Additionally, the British Courts recognized the validity of these marriages from the point of inheritance of money and goods, but not titles or land in England. This was contested on several occaisions, but the Courts in England ruled that these marriages were legal. In 1821 the Hudson's Bay Company merged with the North West Company and Sir George Simpson took operational control of the new company. In 1830, he married a Scottish lady. She refused to entertain any of the Metis wives and she was supported in this by the Anglican priests. Simpson then demanded that the Chief Factors of the HBC cast off the Metis wives if they wanted to keep their jobs. This had a devestating impact on the Metis community and on many of the fur traders, both in the short term and in the long.
I'm looking at this nearly a year after the fact...and not only is your compassion amazing to witness, BUT you smashed the back board with the Monty Python clip. Love you for the history, the humor and for your humanity. Well done, Dr Kat!!!!! 💯
I had forgotten about the creepy suggestion that poor Mary, the future Mary I, be granted a dispensation to marry her half brother. Partly one wonders how they could they even contemplate such an action, or imagine it could be apprroved, and then one thinks of all those dispensations that must have been provided for all those uncle-neice marriages of the Hapsbergs. Yuk. There might not have been many advantges to be poor, but to live with someone more or less of one's own choice, whether married, betrothed or not, must be one of them
@Leonie Romanes I am confident that you are mistaken in your belief that cousins may not marry under British law, either now or in the past. The only people one may not marry were, and are listed in the Table of Consanguinity in the Book of Common Prayer, and that did not include even first cousins. This is true not only for the Church, but also for the state. There must have been another reason for the spelling changes to your relative's name. The only cousin marriage in my own blood family, was the sister of one of my great grandmothers, who married her first cousin, at some time in the 1880s or 1890's. They had no chldren however, and I am certain from comments that my grandmother made, that that was by choice. In fact I think it was more of a companionate marriage for the time. The old lady, my grandmother's aunt, was in her eighties or nineties when we regularly visited her in the 1960s. along with a whole bevy of other long lived old aunts. While my first comments above indicate that I found the uncle neice marriages of the Hapsbergs, rather revolting, and I have reservations about first cousin marriages, without health checks, I dont know that I think sharing a great grandparent (third cousins) or a great great grandparent (fifth cousins) particualrly freaky. I think the blood line would have been sufficiently diluted for genetically safe reasons. What I would consider unsafe genetically however would be a long line of first cousin marriages with no other "fresh blood" entering the genetic pool. I think that is generally backed by some research that has been conducted in countries where first cousin marriages are currently more common than they ever previously were in Europe.
This is really fascinating! The first time I started wondering about the rules of marriage in the U.K. was after reading the excellent "No Name" by Wilkie Collins in 2003. I'm French and during my time studying British language and civilization at university, this topic never came up so I was really eager to find out if that plot device by which a couple who believed to have been legally married for years turned out not to be, in the eyes of the law, was even a real possibility... I loved this video... Thank you!
The varying degrees of marriage and betrothal in the past seem like some sort of early escape clause in case things didn't go the way one or both parties wanted. Obviously it's very convenient for King VIII to *always* find a way out of his marriages when they no longer suited him.
'I lack the training it would be irresponsible for me to pass any kind of judgement' that comment was like ripping away a curtain in front of the vampires that are the twitter, Facebook and comment section doctors that know everything because they have seen a meme about it.
I only discovered your channel recently, and I just can't get enough! Keep them coming; it's so much easier to stay home when there are interesting videos like yours to watch. You stay safe :)
@@ReadingthePast Wishing you well in this time that has us slowly coming round to reemerging back into our lives with a new found view. Much gratitude to your channel that helped get many of us through it and kept our brains thinking and wondering!
Thank you for your work. I think it is evident to us that you love what you are doing. Thank you too for addressing the elephant in everyone's room, COVID. I have had a book to read for pleasure in my hands since I was 5 years old. Reading is more than a hobby for me. It's an obsession. Therefore, between that and walking every day, Reading the Past has been the perfect addition to keep me sane.
Mawwiage - hahaha love that reference!! One of the best films ever made ♥️ Your videos are helping me keep sane during this time period - feeding my brain feels good
If Henry VIII wanted to rely on Old Testament verses to annul his marriage to Katherine of Aragon, because she was his brothers widow, then how about the OT verses that REQUIRE a man to take his brothers widow (if she is childless) and get her pregnant “that his brothers name not be lost in Israel”? Talk about cherrypicking!
Seeing as how He saw himself as a professional theologian, I'm pretty sure he had "evidence" that his chosen verses held sway over the inconvenient ones.
I've always thought it telling that the verse Henry chose to use specifies 'his brother's *wife*', which presupposes that the husband is alive, which means that the brother is committing adultery. Henry twists this to include 'widow', which (as you point out) totally contradicts other verses, and could be considered an admission of adultery. Cherry-picking indeed!!
He did what all politicians and clergymen do. Pick and choose what parts of the constitution and Bible they prefer depending on the situation at hand and who they're dealing with.
After all my years as a history buff and Anglophile, I had never heard of the considered marriage between Mary Tudor and the King’s natural son. Thanks for this interesting video.
Neither had I! Horrifying! I'd only ever heard of Egyptian royalty going in for that- Cleopatra married *two* of her brothers, EW- but then if cousins marry repeatedly over the generations, you get... the Hapsburgs :o At least one of them married his niece- EW again.
Actually, this had a terrible consequence for the poor. As ministers had to be paid and real Common Law marriage was not now legal, the poor were now reduced to 'living in sin.'
Dr Kat, fifteen months after you uploaded, I wanted to tell you yours was one of, if not the most heartfelt messages I've seen, certainly by Tubers, and really, just in general. it's a belated thanks, but I do thank you. Thankfully we here in my beloved Australia are cancelling the 'new normal' and just heading back to the 'old normal'. It's really interesting though to see posts from a year, or even two years ago. Your introduction was lovely, it was sincere and caring. And I so much admire you not weighing in with health and social commentary. As I said, belated, but thank you.
Italy has become an open-air prison. I caught it nevertheless and survived. It was an ordeal but it is particularly fierce upon people who suffer from concomitant diseases, like emphysema or another affection of the airways. Luckily I never smoked in my life and I was in good health before. The worst side of it if being afraid of it. I am a biochemist
Maria Consuelo Glad you are feeling better...I’m a biologist so, I completely understand the virus but I’m still afraid of it AND I’m always worried because it’s other people’s lack of education and crazy behaviors that is spreading it here in the USA. Once again, I’m very glad you are recovering and feeling better!
Dr Kat, I loved this so Thankyou xx. This may be a little random but would it be possible one day, if you think it appropriate, to discuss jewellery. In particular pertaining to marriage. For example did people who could afford such items wear wedding bands as we often do today or was something different exchanged. Is there a historical reason some countries wear them on the right hand, as in Germany and the Low Countries. When did people start to wear mourning jewellery etc. Just a thought. Thankyou again. Stay safe x.
What have I been doing in quarantine? I've been learning so much about English history from you! I'm so glad I found your series. Thank you for your insights and information. You have a fan in Ohio USA!
I only just started the video and am already loving it ‘cause you acknowledge the world situation whilst still staying within your field of expertise and limiting your comments to the areas in which you have the experience to accurately comment and advise. Your channel is such a nice source of knowledge.
Hello! I just discovered your channel, and I am quite charmed by it! My current field of interest is the court of Charlemagne, I have many other interests- and the Tudors are some of them. And law... oh yes! My Canon and Marriage law professor was a Dominican Canon. (Annd he was delightful!)) Thinks video is fantastic! So much better than most you find online! I am very much looking forward to see more from you!
I really enjoyed this video. It's so impressive how you are able to take such complex themes/topics and explain them so clearly. I would never have guessed that marriage was so confusing! I really hope you and your loved ones are OK. :-)
And this is why people who are anti Marriage Equality are on super shakey grounds when they say it is changing thousands of years of tradition. Marriage is and has been many different things and for many purposes over the last 2000 years.
Your commentaries are adding context to what I learned in the past, which is great! My family and friends have discovered that there are board games online (9 Men's Morris among many others) at Board Game Arena, and we've been meeting with friends there (with an added Zoom component so we can chat) to play games together in place of our regularly scheduled nights.
Just wanted to say I really enjoy your videos, Dr. Kat! I've been enjoying watching them while in quarantine. I like the quality of your research without the sensationalism. You provide a good voice in the history world!
Thanks for the video. I just discovers you yesterday and watched the piece on Anne of Cleaves. I suppose many today would think that what they did back then was a little over the top. However we live in a time where most of us are not going to starve to death if we marry someone of a lower station. It was about survival and, for the rich and powerful, keeping the wealth in the family.
I get such pleasure out of listening to your podcast. I am so glad I fell upon them. I have been listening to you now for at least 6 months and I listen to you every chance I get . True fan!!
Absolutely fascinating. Thank you again, Dr Kat. All l can say is, thank goodness for that marriage act of 1753 - made the confusion a lot less confusing. I'm glad you're keeping well. I've used Zoom for some face to face time with friends and l know a few of my friends have done the same, both individually and in groups. One of them does her yoga class on Zoom, with the teacher able to see each member of the class on her screen! Hope this helps.
Thanks Jenny, I'm glad you enjoyed the video and thank you for suggesting Zoom. We've started using it with some of our friends and it's really good - if anyone reading this is looking for a virtual meet-up solution, it's definitely worth checking out!
@@ReadingthePast a year later it seems so surreal that we didn't know what Zoom was when this video came out! Phenomenal video as always. Thank you so much for the education :) and the inspiration to learn more. I use your videos as jumping off points - after watching, I'll look into certain things you spoke of & I have legitimately filled notebooks 😁 You got me through quarantine (still pretty much in the same boat here in the US lol). For this & more (Monarchs Anonymous!), I will love you forever Dr. Kat 💕🤗
I just found your channel, and I am so enjoying binge watching your videos!!! The book "The history of the wife" is a great read for anyone interested in this subject. The letters of the Paston family, also a much-loved read, are an intimate look into marriage and the family. Also related to your narrative, it has always saddened me how the Paston daughter who married for love, though beneath her, became a total non entity to her family. I never understood how a mother, who seemed to find a level of marital comfort and conviviality in her own mate, could deny a daughter so harshly who sought a mirror of what she saw in her own childhood home. You have my new favorite channel.
Doctor K, I found your channel this week and I love it. I have always been interested in English history. There are far too many TH-cam content providers that read a script written by a non-historian and the accuracy is questionable. Your videos are interesting and entertaining and most importantly, to me, historically accurate. In these tumultuous times your videos are a wonderful distraction from stress and unfortunately from work, housekeeping, laundry, and just about everything because I’m binge watching your videos. Many thanks.
Dear Dr. Kat, I am an American, from the Southern State of Alabama. I tend to Naturally speak my Southern English with quite a thick Southern drawl, just like most of my neighbors here in Alabama. When I found your channel, I was at first attracted to it due to the subject matter. However, once I started listening to you speak, I quickly began to absolutely love your voice! To me, it is truly soothing and quite comforting. I dearly love English history as well so, your lovely voice is simply the icing on top of the history cake, for me. I am so thankful for finding your channel and I found myself clicking both the like and subscribe buttons at under two minutes into your video! Looking forward to watching all your videos! God bless you and your channel.
THIS channel! I found this wonderful channel! I love learning history, and am enjoying this one so much! Subscribed and enjoying it so much! Thank you!
Dr. Kat, one of my coping mechanisms during lockdown was discovering You Tube channels - Reading the Past is in my top three channels - and the other two originate from England, too. Both my maternal and paternal lines settled the Virginia Colony between 1650-1700 and all succeeding generations were also of English origin - with one or two Irish and Scots in the mix. I love your voice, your joy in story telling, your mastery of the subject matter and your entire range of expressions which could do justice to the theatre. You are a lovely person. Every night, I wind down with one of your videos before I shut off all electronics. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with the world.
I love this channel. It was suggested to me two days ago and I cannot get enough. While the upper class didn’t put much stock in attraction, I’ve always thought it almost commendable that they thought of the true when arranging marriages. I think more people today should think of other aspects of marriage besides adjust attraction. Our family and friends have been staying connected on Facebook. We post games to play together, discuss topics besides the pandemic and politics, and post pics of what everyone is doing.
Love the clip of Peter cook! I think I have watched this episode twice, now, not that I mindi have liked all the episodes I have watched. Thoroughly enjoying watching your presentations.
Love all your videos! History is fascinating, and more so after a lengthy interlude from events allows so much more information coming forward and people such as yourself can pull together all the diverse bits & bobs into an interesting and factual presentation! More! More!
Dr. Kat, I absolutely love the way you explain history. If only history teachers when I was growing up, had your ability to connect with your audience, so that we all can better appreciate history. And a random note: I absolutely adore how you always say to new comers, that they are welcome. You seem to be a very warm and genuine person and I truly respect all the research and work you do, to bring all of these amazing historical facts to us all. Thank you. - Alana Ps: Please stay safe during these hard and dangerous times. You have really helped me to be able to find the distraction I often need, to get through this. Stay safe, to all.
Rather sad that the last arranged Royal marriage, between Prince Charles and Princess Diana didn't end well. At that time, it was about ensuring the bride was a virgin to be sure the first child was legitimate, and also, and more importantly, ( circa1970's) to prevent a past lover popping up and writing " tell all" details of the Queen's relationship with him.
I understand your strong liking for the Tudor period, but the title suggested marriage in English history, so it would have been interesting to look at marriage in the Medieval period (possibly even looking back at the old English period, where marriage was complicated by hangovers from the Anglo-Saxon and Norse pre-Christian traditions, even as they were practising nominally Christian marriages.
I have just discovered your channel Kat. This is interesting to me as a personal genealogist, and has given me a little extra insight regarding betrothals. Thank you!
Hello Dr Kat. I’ve been following your videos for sometime and I must say I enjoyed them thoroughly. I only got my minor in medieval history but I find studying England’s history so fascinating. The War of the Roses, the Plantagenets, and good old Henry VIII. Oh and by the way, it means a lot to me that you have liked and agreed with some of my comments. As an American, sometimes I feel awkward giving my opinion upon your nations history.
Please don't feel awkward! History is for everyone to discuss and form their opinions on. It's even better when there are different backgrounds and perspectives, I think.
Hi Dr! It’s a great pleasure attending your classes! Can you give me any insight into the subject of a marital DOWRY? During ancient times, the dowry was given by the groom. For example, in the Bible, Jacob paid “the bride price” of 7 years of labor each for Rachel and Leah. In modern day, the bride’s family pays the dowry. Why is that? Is there any benefit to the bride? Does she get the dowry back if he divorces her after the wedding?
You are wonderful! Thank you! As a Russian history buff, I would have loved to see programmes on this from someone like yourself. Stay well. Bless you.
I am so glad that I found your channel. I have always loved history as a kid and thought about majoring about it in collage. I ended up majoring in public adminstration. I am bingeing all of your videos!!
very enlightening.........i too , recently discovered your channel and have been binge watching . i just love , your subject matter and visuals . your channel will go far , thank you , for sharing and stay safe............
I found you during lockdown! I'm from Seattle, USA, so otherside of the world. Learning about European history has been my personal goal while locked in and working 80hrs a week from Home. Thank you for teaching and being a positive light. My question how is YOUR Pandemic baby?! 😂 I have a Pandemic teen....
thank you for thinking of those of us in "Shielding" (extreme lockdown for our own good due to vulnerability in UK) at that time. I was lucky, my partner was also in Shielding and living in the adjascent house, we use the back doors.
🧑🏻🦰Hallo Dr. Cat, could you please give a lecture on “wardship” in Tudor times, you have mentioned it a few times and the term, it’s causes, it’s boundaries and purpose are not clear, and I think are important. Thank you.
Does the verse in Leviticus refer to a dead brother or a brother still alive? In the case of of Henry’s brother, the “until do us part” clause in marriage vows would seem to rule out the “incest” accusation. Sad.
I discovered this by accident and really love them - thank you! Intelligent, interesting and insightful, I’m passing this on to everyone I know! Thank you - C!
Very interesting, and I’m on my third watch. Don’t know if Ken Follett is accurate regards English marriage. However, he has written a popular book titled, Pillars of the Earth. It describes marriage in an earlier time than Tudor England. I hope it is accurate.
There really are not words to express how much your historical videos mean to me. I have been wondering who inherited Anne Boleyn's "B" necklace. I so hope it is still intact and someone really treasures it.
Great video as per usual! However, an idea (or source of confusion) just hit me- Henry can divorce wives and have his children through those (otherwise legitimate) marriages made into bastards. But why can't he acknowledge any existing bastard children, specifically bastard sons, and make them legitimate in order to add them to the line of succession??
Hi. I just found your site and sent it to my sister in UK. Re. Marriage. Funny that Henry now all the 'learned' priests ignored the plain Cbristian teaching in 1 Corinthians 7:39 and Romans 7: 1- 3. Clearly the law applies to liv8ng spousez ut once one is deceased, the other is free to marry again. But human nature takes over and we pick the bit that suits our purpose.
Totally brilliant! thank you so much. I have chosen to get out my calligraphy stuff, sewing stuff, knitting and just getting personal and creative. Also getting into historical research...hooray!!
Handfasting ,whilst not legally binding, was a pagan wedding involving tying cords around hands( hence tying the knot).It was a short betrothal of marriage seen as binding for 366 days. Then if they did not get on theyi lterally untied the knot in thr cords & went their separate ways.
At least in USA like with a drivers license when a couple are newly married even on the marriage night plus 6 months time the newly married couple needs a fully licensed tutor to be with them in the bed chamber just to be sure all goes correctly.like with a drivers license you do not want inexperienced persons on the highway a crash could occur and same with an inexperienced couple in the bed chamber under a learners permit license a person may choose to go at it and have missed the correct mark. Hence the need of the guide from the royal office of hitting the correct mark. As you mentioned before the license requirement marriage was Sanz a wealthy estate a much simpler couples choice to solidify a mutual relationship
The US still has what is called Common Law marriage in a few states. Here in Montana, when my husband died, it was under a Common Law marriage. I just had to prove a couple of things showing in fact it was. Having three kids over the 26 years together helped. But, we had people who didn't know we WEREN'T married put in statements saying that. I was able to collect all his retirement. Including Federal retirement. Georgia is phasing it out. Not many left.
I love watching your channel on TH-cam and I'm a huge fan of European history. My family origin is from Scandinavia, France & my maternal grandmother was in English.. my favorite monarch of all is that of Mary Queen of Scots. Such a young Queen and a sad life, especially towards the last 20 some years after she married Henry Stewart. I've read and watched a lot of videos about Tudor history and I'm very intrigued with the relationship between Henry Viii & Charles Brandon. they grew up together and we're the best of friends. Charles was not only a loyal subject of Henry's but he was also on his Council and his confidant. Sometime whenever you get the time, I would love for you to discuss the relationship between Charles Brandon and King Henry the 8th because Charles could get by with doing almost anyting, because he was the king's best friend and he didn't ever betray the king. Sort of. Charles Brandon. Did marry the king sister, Mary Tudor, after she was widowed when she was the queen consort of France. They married secretly and Henry was Furious because they wounded his pride and his vanity. I think they married around 1418 and Mary later died from consumption, which is known as TB. Charles went on to remarry Katherine and have children with her. Charles was always King Henry's right hand man and depended on him so much and trusted him with his life. Plus Charles was his General..
During the height of the pandemic in Australia my reenactment community began playing historically themed Dungeons & Dragons together. Now that restrictions have eased considerably we are able to continue our hobby but we still jump online once a fortnight to play D&D.
The steps toward marriage controlled by the state when I married my late husband in MO 43 years ago, all the aspects were required by the church and a blood test for syphilus was also required by the state. Points by the state are still all required by the Roman Catholic Church and 43 years ago too, by the Episcopal Church in America where we actually married. with the possible exception of the location being in the church and of that Im not sure. It is posted in the newspaper and the banns are read before Mass 3 weeks running.
I’ve only found your channel recently, but I’m hooked. (So is my seven-year-old daughter; she’ll come to ask me to “watch the smart girl that talks pretty”-we’re in the US.) I think by you not judging the governments or medical communities when it comes to COVID is very refreshing. So many people seem to think if they’re educated on one subject matter, that makes them educated on every matter. Thank you for making history interesting. One day when you’re prepping for a video, I hope you remember that there’s a little girl in Kansas, USA that’s waiting to watch it. Stay well.
Wow! Carrie that is an excellent situation for you and your daughter. My own interest in Brish History started at my mother's knee.
I worked with a girl from Switzerland in about 1996. Although she lived in the US and was marrying a US citizen, they still had to publish banns before they could marry.
Me too but I found Dr Kat a year later than you did, she is amazing 👏👍❤️
❤️
@@janicesnyder9305 as a child in Southamerica, I remember the church placing the Announcement of a forthcoming marriage and for those who objected to it to come forward. I was too young to understand.
I found this quite fascinating. I am a genealogist specializing in Canadian fur trade kinship ties between 1760 and 1830. During that period of time, the marital arrangements between French, Scottish and English fur traders and the Indigenous population was described as "a la facon du pays" or a "country marriage". These were essentially hand fast marriages because priests to formalize the marriages were hard to find in the backwoods. Some of these marriages were of short duration and others life long. If a fur trader were to "cast off" his Native or Metis wife, then he was responsible for arranging her next marriage and for providing financially for any children they had together. To not do so would impact his reputation and limit his ability to purchase furs and tus his value to the merchants. Further more, no country marriages could take place if the fur trader had a wife in the Canadas or back in Britain. Additionally, the British Courts recognized the validity of these marriages from the point of inheritance of money and goods, but not titles or land in England. This was contested on several occaisions, but the Courts in England ruled that these marriages were legal. In 1821 the Hudson's Bay Company merged with the North West Company and Sir George Simpson took operational control of the new company. In 1830, he married a Scottish lady. She refused to entertain any of the Metis wives and she was supported in this by the Anglican priests. Simpson then demanded that the Chief Factors of the HBC cast off the Metis wives if they wanted to keep their jobs. This had a devestating impact on the Metis community and on many of the fur traders, both in the short term and in the long.
Very interesting, thank you.
I can’t believe I didn’t find this during quarantine. Thank you Dr. Kat.
As a social scientist in Dallas, Texas (USA), I appreciate the prosocial comments and concern for everyone’s wellbeing. Thanks Dr. Kat, from Dr. Val.
God bless you for the “Princess Bride” clip.
I'm looking at this nearly a year after the fact...and not only is your compassion amazing to witness, BUT you smashed the back board with the Monty Python clip. Love you for the history, the humor and for your humanity. Well done, Dr Kat!!!!! 💯
I had forgotten about the creepy suggestion that poor Mary, the future Mary I, be granted a dispensation to marry her half brother. Partly one wonders how they could they even contemplate such an action, or imagine it could be apprroved, and then one thinks of all those dispensations that must have been provided for all those uncle-neice marriages of the Hapsbergs. Yuk.
There might not have been many advantges to be poor, but to live with someone more or less of one's own choice, whether married, betrothed or not, must be one of them
LOL, just made the same point about the Hapsburgs above, then read your comment :D Disturbing to think cousin marriage still happens a lot today :(
@Leonie Romanes I am confident that you are mistaken in your belief that cousins may not marry under British law, either now or in the past.
The only people one may not marry were, and are listed in the Table of Consanguinity in the Book of Common Prayer, and that did not include even first cousins. This is true not only for the Church, but also for the state. There must have been another reason for the spelling changes to your relative's name.
The only cousin marriage in my own blood family, was the sister of one of my great grandmothers, who married her first cousin, at some time in the 1880s or 1890's. They had no chldren however, and I am certain from comments that my grandmother made, that that was by choice. In fact I think it was more of a companionate marriage for the time. The old lady, my grandmother's aunt, was in her eighties or nineties when we regularly visited her in the 1960s. along with a whole bevy of other long lived old aunts.
While my first comments above indicate that I found the uncle neice marriages of the Hapsbergs, rather revolting, and I have reservations about first cousin marriages, without health checks, I dont know that I think sharing a great grandparent (third cousins) or a great great grandparent (fifth cousins) particualrly freaky. I think the blood line would have been sufficiently diluted for genetically safe reasons.
What I would consider unsafe genetically however would be a long line of first cousin marriages with no other "fresh blood" entering the genetic pool. I think that is generally backed by some research that has been conducted in countries where first cousin marriages are currently more common than they ever previously were in Europe.
My family tree inbreeding can't be true please help me god😮.
This is really fascinating! The first time I started wondering about the rules of marriage in the U.K. was after reading the excellent "No Name" by Wilkie Collins in 2003. I'm French and during my time studying British language and civilization at university, this topic never came up so I was really eager to find out if that plot device by which a couple who believed to have been legally married for years turned out not to be, in the eyes of the law, was even a real possibility... I loved this video... Thank you!
The varying degrees of marriage and betrothal in the past seem like some sort of early escape clause in case things didn't go the way one or both parties wanted. Obviously it's very convenient for King VIII to *always* find a way out of his marriages when they no longer suited him.
'I lack the training it would be irresponsible for me to pass any kind of judgement' that comment was like ripping away a curtain in front of the vampires that are the twitter, Facebook and comment section doctors that know everything because they have seen a meme about it.
I only discovered your channel recently, and I just can't get enough! Keep them coming; it's so much easier to stay home when there are interesting videos like yours to watch. You stay safe :)
Thank you! Will do!
@@ReadingthePast Wishing you well in this time that has us slowly coming round to reemerging back into our lives with a new found view. Much gratitude to your channel that helped get many of us through it and kept our brains thinking and wondering!
Thank you for your work. I think it is evident to us that you love what you are doing. Thank you too for addressing the elephant in everyone's room, COVID. I have had a book to read for pleasure in my hands since I was 5 years old. Reading is more than a hobby for me. It's an obsession. Therefore, between that and walking every day, Reading the Past has been the perfect addition to keep me sane.
I found this very interesting but a bit confusing cause sometimes it was used for certain people used for their own gains
this clarifies many 4 or 5 month gestations among my ancestors (working class) in England.
I loved this topic. and it clarifies so much.. But now please do a follow up on elopments and this whole Gretna Green scenario
Mawwiage - hahaha love that reference!! One of the best films ever made ♥️ Your videos are helping me keep sane during this time period - feeding my brain feels good
Zoe Solanki Monty Python quotes are the order of day any time! Stay well
If Henry VIII wanted to rely on Old Testament verses to annul his marriage to Katherine of Aragon, because she was his brothers widow, then how about the OT verses that REQUIRE a man to take his brothers widow (if she is childless) and get her pregnant “that his brothers name not be lost in Israel”?
Talk about cherrypicking!
Seeing as how He saw himself as a professional theologian, I'm pretty sure he had "evidence" that his chosen verses held sway over the inconvenient ones.
I've always thought it telling that the verse Henry chose to use specifies 'his brother's *wife*', which presupposes that the husband is alive, which means that the brother is committing adultery. Henry twists this to include 'widow', which (as you point out) totally contradicts other verses, and could be considered an admission of adultery. Cherry-picking indeed!!
He did what all politicians and clergymen do. Pick and choose what parts of the constitution and Bible they prefer depending on the situation at hand and who they're dealing with.
No shit
Please make the font in your written 'cards' larger to fill more of the screen. Makes it a lot easier for those w/ compromised sight. Thanks.
After all my years as a history buff and Anglophile, I had never heard of the considered marriage between Mary Tudor and the King’s natural son. Thanks for this interesting video.
I had never heard of that either! As Dr Kat said:. Good thing this never happened 😝
Me either.
Neither had I! Horrifying! I'd only ever heard of Egyptian royalty going in for that- Cleopatra married *two* of her brothers, EW- but then if cousins marry repeatedly over the generations, you get... the Hapsburgs :o At least one of them married his niece- EW again.
I think this is my favorite of all your Tudor videos. Thanks! What fun!
I think divorce in the Victorian age would be a great topic. I've enjoyed this topic greatly as marriage was complicated before the 1750s declaration.
Actually, this had a terrible consequence for the poor. As ministers had to be paid and real Common Law marriage was not now legal, the poor were now reduced to 'living in sin.'
Dr Kat, fifteen months after you uploaded, I wanted to tell you yours was one of, if not the most heartfelt messages I've seen, certainly by Tubers, and really, just in general. it's a belated thanks, but I do thank you. Thankfully we here in my beloved Australia are cancelling the 'new normal' and just heading back to the 'old normal'. It's really interesting though to see posts from a year, or even two years ago. Your introduction was lovely, it was sincere and caring. And I so much admire you not weighing in with health and social commentary. As I said, belated, but thank you.
Italy has become an open-air prison. I caught it nevertheless and survived. It was an ordeal but it is particularly fierce upon people who suffer from concomitant diseases, like emphysema or another affection of the airways. Luckily I never smoked in my life and I was in good health before. The worst side of it if being afraid of it. I am a biochemist
So very glad you are feeling much better.
Maria Consuelo Glad you are feeling better...I’m a biologist so, I completely understand the virus but I’m still afraid of it AND I’m always worried because it’s other people’s lack of education and crazy behaviors that is spreading it here in the USA. Once again, I’m very glad you are recovering and feeling better!
I can't imagine how scary this was. Glad you survived.
At least Venice was able to breathe again! Clean water, dolphins, no cruise ships or tourists.
Dr Kat, I loved this so Thankyou xx.
This may be a little random but would it be possible one day, if you think it appropriate, to discuss jewellery. In particular pertaining to marriage. For example did people who could afford such items wear wedding bands as we often do today or was something different exchanged. Is there a historical reason some countries wear them on the right hand, as in Germany and the Low Countries. When did people start to wear mourning jewellery etc. Just a thought. Thankyou again. Stay safe x.
Oh yes! I would love a video on this!
What have I been doing in quarantine? I've been learning so much about English history from you! I'm so glad I found your series. Thank you for your insights and information. You have a fan in Ohio USA!
I only just started the video and am already loving it ‘cause you acknowledge the world situation whilst still staying within your field of expertise and limiting your comments to the areas in which you have the experience to accurately comment and advise. Your channel is such a nice source of knowledge.
I loved this video Marriage in English History.
Especially the way the social classes handled marriage during these times periods.
Hello! I just discovered your channel, and I am quite charmed by it! My current field of interest is the court of Charlemagne, I have many other interests- and the Tudors are some of them. And law... oh yes! My Canon and Marriage law professor was a Dominican Canon. (Annd he was delightful!)) Thinks video is fantastic! So much better than most you find online!
I am very much looking forward to see more from you!
Thank you, I'm pleased you found the channel and that you are enjoying the content.
Princess Bride, thanks be of my all time favorite movies!
I love your work and material, but the Princess Bride reference elevated this video to a whole new level.
I really enjoyed this video. It's so impressive how you are able to take such complex themes/topics and explain them so clearly. I would never have guessed that marriage was so confusing! I really hope you and your loved ones are OK. :-)
And this is why people who are anti Marriage Equality are on super shakey grounds when they say it is changing thousands of years of tradition. Marriage is and has been many different things and for many purposes over the last 2000 years.
Every time Anne of Cleves comes up in a conversation I think to myself what a lucky girl!!!
Interested video, hi Linda how are you and your family doing with the pandemic issue?
What an intelligent, capable person. She could read between the lines.
Your commentaries are adding context to what I learned in the past, which is great! My family and friends have discovered that there are board games online (9 Men's Morris among many others) at Board Game Arena, and we've been meeting with friends there (with an added Zoom component so we can chat) to play games together in place of our regularly scheduled nights.
Just wanted to say I really enjoy your videos, Dr. Kat! I've been enjoying watching them while in quarantine. I like the quality of your research without the sensationalism. You provide a good voice in the history world!
Thanks for the video. I just discovers you yesterday and watched the piece on Anne of Cleaves.
I suppose many today would think that what they did back then was a little over the top. However we live in a time where most of us are not going to starve to death if we marry someone of a lower station. It was about survival and, for the rich and powerful, keeping the wealth in the family.
I get such pleasure out of listening to your podcast. I am so glad I fell upon them. I have been listening to you now for at least 6 months and I listen to you every chance I get . True fan!!
This channel has helped me. I love history and the comment section is one of the healthiest and nicest on TH-cam. 🙌🏼
Absolutely fascinating. Thank you again, Dr Kat. All l can say is, thank goodness for that marriage act of 1753 - made the confusion a lot less confusing. I'm glad you're keeping well. I've used Zoom for some face to face time with friends and l know a few of my friends have done the same, both individually and in groups. One of them does her yoga class on Zoom, with the teacher able to see each member of the class on her screen! Hope this helps.
Thanks Jenny, I'm glad you enjoyed the video and thank you for suggesting Zoom. We've started using it with some of our friends and it's really good - if anyone reading this is looking for a virtual meet-up solution, it's definitely worth checking out!
@@ReadingthePast a year later it seems so surreal that we didn't know what Zoom was when this video came out!
Phenomenal video as always. Thank you so much for the education :) and the inspiration to learn more. I use your videos as jumping off points - after watching, I'll look into certain things you spoke of & I have legitimately filled notebooks 😁
You got me through quarantine (still pretty much in the same boat here in the US lol).
For this & more (Monarchs Anonymous!), I will love you forever Dr. Kat 💕🤗
I just found your channel, and I am so enjoying binge watching your videos!!! The book "The history of the wife" is a great read for anyone interested in this subject. The letters of the Paston family, also a much-loved read, are an intimate look into marriage and the family. Also related to your narrative, it has always saddened me how the Paston daughter who married for love, though beneath her, became a total non entity to her family. I never understood how a mother, who seemed to find a level of marital comfort and conviviality in her own mate, could deny a daughter so harshly who sought a mirror of what she saw in her own childhood home. You have my new favorite channel.
Doctor K, I found your channel this week and I love it. I have always been interested in English history. There are far too many TH-cam content providers that read a script written by a non-historian and the accuracy is questionable. Your videos are interesting and entertaining and most importantly, to me, historically accurate. In these tumultuous times your videos are a wonderful distraction from stress and unfortunately from work, housekeeping, laundry, and just about everything because I’m binge watching your videos.
Many thanks.
Thank you so much for the mental break from current situations. Your channel is like brain candy for me! I love it! Thank you so much!!
Dear Dr. Kat,
I am an American, from the Southern State of Alabama. I tend to Naturally speak my Southern English with quite a thick Southern drawl, just like most of my neighbors here in Alabama. When I found your channel, I was at first attracted to it due to the subject matter. However, once I started listening to you speak, I quickly began to absolutely love your voice! To me, it is truly soothing and quite comforting. I dearly love English history as well so, your lovely voice is simply the icing on top of the history cake, for me. I am so thankful for finding your channel and I found myself clicking both the like and subscribe buttons at under two minutes into your video! Looking forward to watching all your videos! God bless you and your channel.
Fascinating! I'm binge watching you while on my own in isolation. Thanks luv 😊
me too!
Me three
Me 2
Me 3 or 4, tee hee
Wow. I would love to have your analytic and historian mind.
THIS channel! I found this wonderful channel! I love learning history, and am enjoying this one so much! Subscribed and enjoying it so much! Thank you!
Dr. Kat, one of my coping mechanisms during lockdown was discovering You Tube channels - Reading the Past is in my top three channels - and the other two originate from England, too.
Both my maternal and paternal lines settled the Virginia Colony between 1650-1700 and all succeeding generations were also of English origin - with one or two Irish and Scots in the mix.
I love your voice, your joy in story telling, your mastery of the subject matter and your entire range of expressions which could do justice to the theatre. You are a lovely person. Every night, I wind down with one of your videos before I shut off all electronics.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with the world.
I love this channel. It was suggested to me two days ago and I cannot get enough. While the upper class didn’t put much stock in attraction, I’ve always thought it almost commendable that they thought of the true when arranging marriages. I think more people today should think of other aspects of marriage besides adjust attraction.
Our family and friends have been staying connected on Facebook. We post games to play together, discuss topics besides the pandemic and politics, and post pics of what everyone is doing.
Love the clip of Peter cook! I think I have watched this episode twice, now, not that I mindi have liked all the episodes I have watched. Thoroughly enjoying watching your presentations.
Just found your channel and enjoying it. Annulled, beheaded, died, annulled, beheaded survived does not have the same ring to it somehow!
Interested video, hi Anne how are you and your family doing with the pandemic issue?
Great link to the Princess Bride, Dr Kat 😁
Love all your videos! History is fascinating, and more so after a lengthy interlude from events allows so much more information coming forward and people such as yourself can pull together all the diverse bits & bobs into an interesting and factual presentation! More! More!
Dr. Kat,
I absolutely love the way you explain history. If only history teachers when I was growing up, had your ability to connect with your audience, so that we all can better appreciate history. And a random note: I absolutely adore how you always say to new comers, that they are welcome. You seem to be a very warm and genuine person and I truly respect all the research and work you do, to bring all of these amazing historical facts to us all. Thank you. - Alana
Ps: Please stay safe during these hard and dangerous times. You have really helped me to be able to find the distraction I often need, to get through this. Stay safe, to all.
Your talks are a great resource to those of us that
are trying to minimize external social contract. They
help keep us sane. Thank you very much.
Thank you for doing these videos. Bringing alive history as we had learned, has kept me in touch with sanity. I appreciate your expertise.
Really enjoying your channel. Thoughtful and informative content to feed our minds in these Covid times. Thank you Dr Kat - stay safe and well.
Rather sad that the last arranged Royal marriage, between Prince Charles and Princess Diana didn't end well. At that time, it was about ensuring the bride was a virgin to be sure the first child was legitimate, and also, and more importantly, ( circa1970's) to prevent a past lover popping up and writing " tell all" details of the Queen's relationship with him.
Kathrine Howard, a much loved member of Henry’s court....
Giggling.... MUCH LOVED!
I understand your strong liking for the Tudor period, but the title suggested marriage in English history, so it would have been interesting to look at marriage in the Medieval period (possibly even looking back at the old English period, where marriage was complicated by hangovers from the Anglo-Saxon and Norse pre-Christian traditions, even as they were practising nominally Christian marriages.
i stumbled across your channel a week ago and im hooked! thank you for such a fantastic and informative show
I have just discovered your channel Kat. This is interesting to me as a personal genealogist, and has given me a little extra insight regarding betrothals.
Thank you!
Hello Dr Kat. I’ve been following your videos for sometime and I must say I enjoyed them thoroughly. I only got my minor in medieval history but I find studying England’s history so fascinating. The War of the Roses, the Plantagenets, and good old Henry VIII. Oh and by the way, it means a lot to me that you have liked and agreed with some of my comments. As an American, sometimes I feel awkward giving my opinion upon your nations history.
Please don't feel awkward! History is for everyone to discuss and form their opinions on. It's even better when there are different backgrounds and perspectives, I think.
I love your lectures. Learn so much. Thank you from the States.
Hi Dr! It’s a great pleasure attending your classes!
Can you give me any insight into the subject of a marital DOWRY? During ancient times, the dowry was given by the groom. For example, in the Bible, Jacob paid “the bride price” of 7 years of labor each for Rachel and Leah. In modern day, the bride’s family pays the dowry. Why is that? Is there any benefit to the bride? Does she get the dowry back if he divorces her after the wedding?
You are wonderful! Thank you! As a Russian history buff, I would have loved to see programmes on this from someone like yourself. Stay well. Bless you.
Dr. Kat, thank you for your wonderful videos; I’ve just found you. How very refreshing!
I am so glad that I found your channel. I have always loved history as a kid and thought about majoring about it in collage. I ended up majoring in public adminstration. I am bingeing all of your videos!!
I also just discovered your channel---would really enjoy hearing you talk about the marriages/misalliances of George III's sons!
I ADORE the Princess Bride, such an excellent clip 😂
very enlightening.........i too , recently discovered your channel and have been binge watching . i just love , your subject matter and visuals . your channel will go far , thank you , for sharing and stay safe............
You stole my heart with the princess bride!! Lolol rock on doc!
Thanks for an immensely informative and enjoyable clip. I don't know how I found you but am glad I did!
I found you during lockdown! I'm from Seattle, USA, so otherside of the world. Learning about European history has been my personal goal while locked in and working 80hrs a week from Home. Thank you for teaching and being a positive light. My question how is YOUR Pandemic baby?! 😂 I have a Pandemic teen....
thank you for thinking of those of us in "Shielding" (extreme lockdown for our own good due to vulnerability in UK) at that time. I was lucky, my partner was also in Shielding and living in the adjascent house, we use the back doors.
Thank you, Dr Kat, all the very very best to your physical and mental health as well.
Love from Canada to you ❤
🧑🏻🦰Hallo Dr. Cat, could you please give a lecture on “wardship” in Tudor times, you have mentioned it a few times and the term, it’s causes, it’s boundaries and purpose are not clear, and I think are important. Thank you.
Does the verse in Leviticus refer to a dead brother or a brother still alive? In the case of of Henry’s brother, the “until do us part” clause in marriage vows would seem to rule out the “incest” accusation. Sad.
Linda Hedman The verse in Leviticus refers to a dead brother.
I discovered this by accident and really love them - thank you! Intelligent, interesting and insightful, I’m passing this on to everyone I know! Thank you - C!
i spit soda on the screen when the clip from princess bride popped up.
I do enjoy your videos both content and the delivery
Very interesting, and I’m on my third watch. Don’t know if Ken Follett is accurate regards English marriage. However, he has written a popular book titled, Pillars of the Earth. It describes marriage in an earlier time than Tudor England. I hope it is accurate.
There really are not words to express how much your historical videos mean to me. I have been wondering who inherited Anne Boleyn's "B" necklace. I so hope it is still intact and someone really treasures it.
Great video as per usual! However, an idea (or source of confusion) just hit me- Henry can divorce wives and have his children through those (otherwise legitimate) marriages made into bastards. But why can't he acknowledge any existing bastard children, specifically bastard sons, and make them legitimate in order to add them to the line of succession??
Love your channel My sister, Janet, recommended and it kept me up till the wee hours of the morning!
Would be interesting to focus on the marital misadventures of George IV -- he kinda did it all!
Hi. I just found your site and sent it to my sister in UK. Re. Marriage. Funny that Henry now all the 'learned' priests ignored the plain Cbristian teaching in 1 Corinthians 7:39 and Romans 7: 1- 3. Clearly the law applies to liv8ng spousez ut once one is deceased, the other is free to marry again. But human nature takes over and we pick the bit that suits our purpose.
I would love to hear more about marriage in everyday life during Henry’s time.
Thank you for your kind words at the start
You're wonderful Dr Kat and I'm glad I found your channel this week during this time of isolation.❤
Totally brilliant! thank you so much. I have chosen to get out my calligraphy stuff, sewing stuff, knitting and just getting personal and creative. Also getting into historical research...hooray!!
Bravo! You won’t be sorry.
One of my favorite videos. Thank you.
Love all your videos. .so detailed, thorough yet comprehensible...thank you..
Handfasting ,whilst not legally binding, was a pagan wedding involving tying cords around hands( hence tying the knot).It was a short betrothal of marriage seen as binding for 366 days. Then if they did not get on theyi lterally untied the knot in thr cords & went their separate ways.
At least in USA like with a drivers license when a couple are newly married even on the marriage night plus 6 months time the newly married couple needs a fully licensed tutor to be with them in the bed chamber just to be sure all goes correctly.like with a drivers license you do not want inexperienced persons on the highway a crash could occur and same with an inexperienced couple in the bed chamber under a learners permit license a person may choose to go at it and have missed the correct mark. Hence the need of the guide from the royal office of hitting the correct mark.
As you mentioned before the license requirement marriage was Sanz a wealthy estate a much simpler couples choice to solidify a mutual relationship
The US still has what is called Common Law marriage in a few states. Here in Montana, when my husband died, it was under a Common Law marriage. I just had to prove a couple of things showing in fact it was. Having three kids over the 26 years together helped. But, we had people who didn't know we WEREN'T married put in statements saying that. I was able to collect all his retirement. Including Federal retirement. Georgia is phasing it out. Not many left.
I love watching your channel on TH-cam and I'm a huge fan of European history. My family origin is from Scandinavia, France & my maternal grandmother was in English.. my favorite monarch of all is that of Mary Queen of Scots. Such a young Queen and a sad life, especially towards the last 20 some years after she married Henry Stewart.
I've read and watched a lot of videos about Tudor history and I'm very intrigued with the relationship between Henry Viii & Charles Brandon. they grew up together and we're the best of friends. Charles was not only a loyal subject of Henry's but he was also on his Council and his confidant. Sometime whenever you get the time,
I would love for you to discuss the relationship between Charles Brandon and King Henry the 8th because Charles could get by with doing almost anyting, because he was the king's best friend and he didn't ever betray the king. Sort of. Charles Brandon. Did marry the king sister, Mary Tudor, after she was widowed when she was the queen consort of France. They married secretly and Henry was Furious because they wounded his pride and his vanity. I think they married around 1418 and Mary later died from consumption, which is known as TB. Charles went on to remarry Katherine and have children with her. Charles was always King Henry's right hand man and depended on him so much and trusted him with his life. Plus Charles was his General..
Fascinating as always!
Can you talk more of reading of banns? It's not a thing in the US. I've heard about it but am not sure i really understand
Your videos are addictive. I've enjoyed every one. Now I just need to get my friend to watch you, in between Britbox videos.
During the height of the pandemic in Australia my reenactment community began playing historically themed Dungeons & Dragons together. Now that restrictions have eased considerably we are able to continue our hobby but we still jump online once a fortnight to play D&D.
The steps toward marriage controlled by the state when I married my late husband in MO 43 years ago, all the aspects were required by the church and a blood test for syphilus was also required by the state. Points by the state are still all required by the Roman Catholic Church and 43 years ago too, by the Episcopal Church in America where we actually married. with the possible exception of the location being in the church and of that Im not sure. It is posted in the newspaper and the banns are read before Mass 3 weeks running.
*Love* your inclusion of the Peter Cook clip!