dark age
In the dark ages, what age did couples start to have babies?
what age were people have babies at through out history; in the dark ages, in the medieval ages, etc[phpbay]
In the medieval period, certainly noble women often married for the first time in their mid to late teens[phpbay] Often their husband was older than they were as a nobleman was expected to be able to settle down and support his wife and unless he had inherited at a young age (i[phpbay]e[phpbay] was an eldest son with a father who had already died), he had to make his fortune first[phpbay] Many second and subsequent sons had to wait a long time to marry if they got to marry at all[phpbay] For example, the greatest chivalric figure of the 12th century, William Marshal, married his wife the heiress Isabella de Clare when he was 43 and she was 17[phpbay]
However, we should not assume that early marriage for women meant early pregnancy[phpbay] Terrible health and nutrition, even for the rich, probably meant that menarche was quite late (17 or 18)[phpbay] Children were thus unlikely until the late teens at the earliest[phpbay] For example, Eleanor of Aquitaine - who was a very healthy and vital woman who ultimately had 10 children survive infancy and lived herself until she was the ripe age of 82 - married her 1st husband when she was 15, but didn't have her first child until she was 22[phpbay]
For non-nobility, the situation was a little different[phpbay] Although there was still an age gap between men and women, it was likely to be somewhat smaller as couples could marry for love and companionship not just for politics[phpbay] However, even more so than with noble women, nutrition would have been bad enough to delay menarche and thus child birth
Interestingly, until the 12th century when church weddings became more common, it was quite normal and acceptable for a couple to live together once they were betrothed officially and only married once the woman could prove she could have children by getting pregnant[phpbay] Thus, marriage would be delayed too (although not cohabitation[phpbay])
Finally, recent evidence is emerging that despite their lack of medical knowledge or resources, medieval people did manage birth control[phpbay] They were aware and capable enough to limit their family sizes during times of shortages not only through delaying marriage but also by periodic abstinence within marriage[phpbay] The image of a peasant family with half a dozen children and a bunch more infant graves is not necessarily as simple or as convincing a picture as once was thought[phpbay] Researchers are working currently on really understanding the dynamics of peasant marriage and population control though, so our understanding could change again in the future[phpbay]
Dark age - Zero
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MS Dark Blue JEANS Adjustable Waist Age 13 Yrs or Petite Adult | US $12.62 | 4h 13m |
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Clarins Vital Light Dark Spot Correcting age repairing serum 10 oz | US $60.00 | 4h 41m |
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McFARLANE DARK AGES SPAWN SERIES 22 THE VIKING AGE 6 PIECE ACTION FIGURE SET | US $120.00 | 8h 24m |
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ADAMS GIRLS DARK BLUE DENIM BUBBLE HEM DRESS AGE 7 YEARS | US $6.30 | 8h 41m |
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2001 McFARLANE SPAWN DARK AGE THE SAMARI WARS LOTUS ANGEL WARRIOR NIB | US $10.99 | 8h 47m |
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BATTLETECH MECHWARRIOR DARK AGE Series Book Lot 15 PB Various Authors | US $26.00 | 9h 45m |
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The KINGS OF THE DARK AGE Roman Strategy PC Game RARE NEW in BOX | US $6.99 | 10h 51m |
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Mech warrior dark age wiz kids booster pack | US $4.99 | 12h 10m |
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Clarins Vital light serum dark spot correcting age repairing full size 30ml | US $52.99 | 13h 36m |
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McFarlane Spawn Series 22 Dark Raider Figure The Viking Age Dark Ages MOC | US $12.00 | 14h 55m |
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NIGHTFALL ELLEN CONNOR A DARK AGE DAWNING NOVEL 2011 PARANORMAL ROMANCE | US $3.00 | 16h 7m |
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$350 GILDED AGE Dark Indigo Denim Straight Leg Selvage Jeans 32x34 | US $49.99 | 16h 44m |
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Seeing in the Dark Claim Your Own Shamanic Power Now and in the Coming Age | US $5.00 | 23h 33m |
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Monstrosity In Dark Purity ORG 99 Metal Age | US $5.73 | 1d 5h 33m |
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MAYBELLINE INSTANT AGE REWIND FOUNDATION TAN DARK 1 10 FL OZ | US $4.50 | 1d 7h 10m |
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MALOMBRA Dissolution Age CD Italy BLACK WIDOW BWRCD 053 2 dark prog psych | US $8.99 | 1d 7h 59m |
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Girls Dark Blue Casual Jeans Age 9 Years | US $1.56 | 1d 8h 16m |
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MTG cards 3rd 4th fallen empire the dark Antiquities Ice Age Beta | US $20.50 | 1d 10h 5m |
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Mace The Dark Age for the Nintendo 64 | US $2.99 | 1d 10h 30m |
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Animal Dark Denim Jeans Age 15 16 Years Boys XL BRAND NEW WITH TAGS | US $23.68 | 1d 11h 13m |
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Lot of 8 ASTRO CITY Comics NM Alex Ross Busiek Dark Age 1 4 Local Heroes 1 | US $4.25 | 1d 16h 21m |
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MYSTERY AGE Dark Priests Imperial Staff 2 PACK Hidden Object PC Game NEW | US $19.99 | 1d 16h 28m |
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DARK AGE OF CAMELOT CATACOMBS WIN 98 XP SEALED NEW | US $9.95 | 1d 18h 38m |
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Mechwarrior Dark Age Life Time Lot of 2000 Figures NFRB Dropship Store Display | US $599.99 | 1d 18h 50m |
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MTG COMBO The Dark Preacher X4 Ice Age Skull Catapult X4 Magic The Gathering | US $19.99 | 1d 19h 34m |
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MAYBELLINE AGE REWIND ERASER DARK CIRCLES TREATMENT CONCEALER 02 OZ 10 FAIR | US $6.50 | 29d 6h 26m |
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LOOSE DARK BEAST AGE OF APOCALYPSE MINIMATES BOXSET | US $2.99 | 2d 3h 16m |
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15mm Mini Figs Dark Age European Artillerymen | US $8.95 | 2d 3h 48m |
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Dark Age of Camelot Primas Official Strategy Guide by Melissa Tyler 2001 | US $2.00 | 2d 5h 42m |
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Spawn The Bloodaxe Series 22 Dark Ages Spawn The Viking Age McFarlane NIB | US $6.99 | 2d 7h 2m |
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Dark Pink Padstow Hoodie with Camper Van Age 7 8 Excellent Condition | US $4.72 | 2d 7h 30m |
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Very Nice ANGRY BIRD Boy T Shirt Dark Blue Sz 4 6 8 Age 2 8 | US $7.99 | 29d 19h 9m |
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15mm Mini Figs Dark Age Greek Slingers | US $9.95 | 2d 8h 23m |
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AnM Clothing t shirt Size Medium The Dark Age | US $1.99 | 2d 9h |
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Jan Marini Age Intervention Dark Circle Eye Cream | US $35.00 | 6h 21m |
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Vintage Royal Haeger Pottery Dark Brown Leaf Shaped Dish Bowl Age is Unknown | US $3.00 | 2d 10h 4m |
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Black Lung – The Coming Dark Age CD Psy Harmonics David Thrussell Snog | US $8.08 | 2d 15h 23m |
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MECH WARRIOR DARK AGE BATTLETECH MINIATURE GAME 174 Nikol Brahe WIZKIDS 2002 | US $4.99 | 2d 15h 36m |
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Magic The Gathering Dark Ritual 4x 1 Each Mirage Ice Age 4th ed 5th ed | US $1.99 | 2d 16h 5m |
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Mech Warrior Dark Age Forestry Mech Brand New NIP RARE | US $19.99 | 2d 16h 15m |
This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008 at 9:15 pm and is filed under halloween. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.