Social ordering and the doctrine of free choice. The case of abjuration sub pena nubendi
One of the most important aspects of the marriage legislation in medieval canon law is the doctrine of free choice. According to this doctrine, established by pope Alexander III in the second half of the twelfth century, the validity of a marriage depended solely on the freely given consent of the parties. No one could legally force a couple to marry if they did not freely consent to do so. In par