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 Family
and friends played a major role in arranging marriages in medieval times,
especially if land and other wealth accompanied the union. The parents and
siblings in the families had a concern in the marriage, and the lord also wished
to keep some accounting of village marriages.
In
cases where the marriage was part of the family's economic and social strategy,
careful planning by the whole unit was needed, for a good marriage could bring
considerable economic benefits. The prospective bride and groom also had an
economic stake in a marriage contract, because it would determine not only who
their life partner would be, but also how well they could expect to live. To
marry for love without land or chattels could assure nothing but a life of
penury.
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