The two laws and the three sexes : ambiguous bodies in canon law and Roman law (12th to 16th centuries)

Thumbnail Image
Files
Rolker_0-262414.pdf(469.16 KB)
Date
2014
Authors
Editors
Contact
Journal ISSN
Electronic ISSN
ISBN
Bibliographical data
Publisher
Series
URI (citable link)
urn:nbn:de:bsz:352-0-262414
DOI (citable link)
10.7767/zrgka-2014-0108
ArXiv-ID
International patent number
Link to the license
In Copyright
EU project number
Project
Open Access publication
Collections
Geschichte
Restricted until
Title in another language
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Publication type
Journal article
Publication status
Published in
Zeitschrift der Savigny-Stiftung für Rechtsgeschichte : Kanonistische Abteilung ; 100 (2014), 1. - pp. 178-222. - ISSN 0323-4142. - eISSN 2304-4896
Abstract
This article traces the history of medieval canon (and Roman) law on 'hermaphrodites' as a third sex, bodily different from both men and women. Contrary to what has been claimed, there is no evidence for hermaphrodites being persecuted in the Middle Ages, and the learned laws did certainly not provide any basis for such persecution. The legal status of hermaphrodites was discussed regularly, and canon lawyers were clearly aware of contemporary theology and natural philosophy. In the sixteenth century, while legal dogma remained essentially unchanged, court records show a marked change in legal practice compared to the later Middle Ages. Perhaps due to developments in contemporary medicine, hermaphrodite anatomy, gender change and sexual deviance were increasingly conflated. A more gender-symmetrical definiton of crimes against nature seems to have led to (female) hermaphrodites and tribades being confused in this time. This also shows the complex relations between different pre-modern discourses on hermaphrodites which cannot made fit any linear narrative.
Summary in another language
Der Aufsatz verfolgt die Geschichte des kanonischen (und des römischen) Rechts hinsichtlich der ‘Hermaphroditen’ als einem dritten Geschlecht, das körperlich von Männern wie Frauen unterschieden wurde. Anders als oft behauptet, gibt es keinerlei Hinweise auf eine gerichtliche Verfolgung von Hermaphroditen, und die gelehrten Rechte boten dafür auch keinerlei Grundlage. Kanonisten erörterten regelmäßig die rechtliche Stellung von Hermaphroditen, oft mit Bezug auf zeitgenössische theologische und naturphilosophische Diskussionen. Im sechzehnten Jahrhundert verändert sich zwar nicht die Lehre, wohl aber die gerichtliche Praxis, wie eine Reihe Fälle zeigen. Möglicherweise im Zusammenhang mit zeitgenössischen Entwicklungen der Medizin wurden hermaphroditische Anatomie, Geschlechtswechsel und sexuelle Devianz zunehmend miteinander assoziiert. Gleichzeitig trug auch eine stärker geschlechtssymmetrische Definition der Vergehen wider die Natur dazu bei, dass (weibliche) Hermaphroditen und Tribaden miteinander in Verbindung gebracht wurden. Dies zeigt auch, wie komplex die Beziehungen zwischen den sehr unterschiedlichen vormodernen Diskursen rund um Hermaphroditismus waren, die sich nicht in eine lineare Großerzählung fügen lassen.
Subject (DDC)
900 History
Keywords
canon law; intersex; roman law; legal history; gender
Conference
Review
undefined / . - undefined, undefined. - (undefined; undefined)
Cite This
ISO 690ROLKER, Christof, 2014. The two laws and the three sexes : ambiguous bodies in canon law and Roman law (12th to 16th centuries). In: Zeitschrift der Savigny-Stiftung für Rechtsgeschichte : Kanonistische Abteilung. 100(1), pp. 178-222. ISSN 0323-4142. eISSN 2304-4896. Available under: doi: 10.7767/zrgka-2014-0108
BibTex
@article{Rolker2014three-29839,
  year={2014},
  doi={10.7767/zrgka-2014-0108},
  title={The two laws and the three sexes : ambiguous bodies in canon law and Roman law (12th to 16th centuries)},
  number={1},
  volume={100},
  issn={0323-4142},
  journal={Zeitschrift der Savigny-Stiftung für Rechtsgeschichte : Kanonistische Abteilung},
  pages={178--222},
  author={Rolker, Christof}
}
RDF
<rdf:RDF
    xmlns:dcterms="http://purl.org/dc/terms/"
    xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
    xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#"
    xmlns:bibo="http://purl.org/ontology/bibo/"
    xmlns:dspace="http://digital-repositories.org/ontologies/dspace/0.1.0#"
    xmlns:foaf="http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/"
    xmlns:void="http://rdfs.org/ns/void#"
    xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#" > 
  <rdf:Description rdf:about="https://kops.uni-konstanz.de/server/rdf/resource/123456789/29839">
    <dspace:isPartOfCollection rdf:resource="https://kops.uni-konstanz.de/server/rdf/resource/123456789/32"/>
    <dcterms:title>The two laws and the three sexes : ambiguous bodies in canon law and Roman law (12th to 16th centuries)</dcterms:title>
    <dcterms:available rdf:datatype="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime">2015-02-16T15:19:47Z</dcterms:available>
    <dc:language>eng</dc:language>
    <dcterms:isPartOf rdf:resource="https://kops.uni-konstanz.de/server/rdf/resource/123456789/32"/>
    <dc:date rdf:datatype="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime">2015-02-16T15:19:47Z</dc:date>
    <dcterms:hasPart rdf:resource="https://kops.uni-konstanz.de/bitstream/123456789/29839/1/Rolker_0-262414.pdf"/>
    <void:sparqlEndpoint rdf:resource="http://localhost/fuseki/dspace/sparql"/>
    <dcterms:issued>2014</dcterms:issued>
    <dspace:hasBitstream rdf:resource="https://kops.uni-konstanz.de/bitstream/123456789/29839/1/Rolker_0-262414.pdf"/>
    <bibo:uri rdf:resource="http://kops.uni-konstanz.de/handle/123456789/29839"/>
    <dc:rights>terms-of-use</dc:rights>
    <dcterms:rights rdf:resource="https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/"/>
    <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="http://localhost:8080/"/>
    <dc:contributor>Rolker, Christof</dc:contributor>
    <dcterms:abstract xml:lang="eng">This article traces the history of  medieval canon (and Roman) law on 'hermaphrodites' as a third sex, bodily different from both men and women. Contrary to what has been claimed, there is no evidence for hermaphrodites being persecuted in the Middle Ages, and the learned laws did certainly not provide any basis for such persecution. The legal status of hermaphrodites was discussed regularly, and canon lawyers were clearly aware of contemporary theology and natural philosophy. In the sixteenth century, while legal dogma remained essentially unchanged, court records show a marked change in legal practice compared to the later Middle Ages. Perhaps due to developments in contemporary medicine, hermaphrodite anatomy, gender change and sexual deviance were increasingly conflated. A more gender-symmetrical definiton of crimes against nature seems to have led to (female) hermaphrodites and tribades being confused in this time. This also shows the complex relations between different pre-modern discourses on hermaphrodites which cannot made fit any linear narrative.</dcterms:abstract>
    <dc:creator>Rolker, Christof</dc:creator>
  </rdf:Description>
</rdf:RDF>
Internal note
xmlui.Submission.submit.DescribeStep.inputForms.label.kops_note_fromSubmitter
Contact
URL of original publication
Test date of URL
Examination date of dissertation
Method of financing
Comment on publication
Alliance license
Corresponding Authors der Uni Konstanz vorhanden
International Co-Authors
Bibliography of Konstanz
Yes
Refereed

Version History

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
VersionDateSummary
1*
 2015-02-16 15:19:47
* Selected version