Divorce Trials in Castile during Early Modern History

Abstract

By exploring the concept of divorce in the early period of modern history (16th to 18th centuries), this article examines the legal actions taken against marital disputes in compliance with the Canon law and the laws of the Crown of Castile. The article takes a closer look at the development of such trials, the protagonists and their families, as well as the economic and social consequences of these actions. The pleas, allegations and ecclesiastical judicial decrees constitute the basis to understand the phases of such litigation, from the reporting to the final sentence. These sources also provide a unique portrayal of daily life at the time, namely the suffering caused by marital disputes and the attempts to address them through divorce lawsuits, revealing how women bore the brunt as they were often exposed to violence.

Keywords

• divorcio
• pleitos matrimoniales
• malos tratos
• violencia de género
• edad moderna