Could widow marry deceased husband's brother?

[BridgetM]

Was it legal in 17th century England for a widow to marry her deceased husband's brother?  If so, did the Church of England also allow it?  What about the Catholic Church?  (The time period I'm interested in is about 1620-1650.)

Thanks,
Bridget

[Seoras]

Not sure Bridget but Henry VIII married his dead brother's wife.

[toni*]

no not until 1921

http://www.genetic-genealogy.co.uk/Toc115570145.html

[BridgetM]

Thanks, Toni.  I thought I had read that somewhere.  But this just mentions the Church of England.  Would the Catholic Church have had the same prohibitions?

[toni*]

personally i thought they would have
Catholics seem to be more Strict then Christians (yes i know they are effectively the same thing i got jumped on before for saying that) what i mean is Catholics don't agree with abortions or women priests or divorce whereas Christians do
however that is my opinion and i do not know maybe they encouraged it so that the wife and kiddies were taken care of within the family.

 

[stanmapstone]

For listings (back to biblical times) of forbidden relationships due to Affinity or Consanguinity see
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~framland/acts/affinity.htm

Stan

[Jeuel]

But plenty of people did marry their deceased spouse's siblings, I've got plenty of examples in my research. The fact that something is forbidden/illegal doesn't mean it doesn't happen!

[stanmapstone]

This subject has been covered many times on RootsChat 
From the RootsChat Library/Lexicon
Rules and Prohibitions for marriages between relations
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,118581.0.html
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,209679.0.html
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,301920.0.html
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,319292.0.html
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,319899.0.html
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,326793.0.html
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,408960.0.html
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,456819.0.html

[halhawk]

Hi

In answer to your query about whether the Catholic Church would allow marriage within the degrees of consanguinity and affinity, it was possible to get a dispensation.   I believe (subject to correction) it could only be officially granted by the Pope, although the actual work of sorting it out would be done through first a local Bishop and then the Roman Curia.