THE MEDIEVAL CHURCH AND RENTS FROM MARRIAGE MARKET REGULATIONS

This paper addresses the medieval Roman Catholic Church's attempts to monopolize the marriage market and to wrest control over the instituti on from secular authority. In particular, the paper highlights specifi c doctrinal innovations and evolving rules and regulations. Rules surr ounding endogamy, the definition of a valid marriages, and the escape clauses established by the Church are the principal features of the ar gument as is the place of these manipulations in the overall monopoly of the Church.