In the dark ages, what age did couples start to have babies?

Question

what age were people have babies at through out history; in the dark ages, in the medieval ages, etc.

Answer 1

In the medieval period, certainly noble women often married for the first time in their mid to late teens. 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.e. was an eldest son with a father who had already died), he had to make his fortune first. Many second and subsequent sons had to wait a long time to marry if they got to marry at all. 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.

However, we should not assume that early marriage for women meant early pregnancy. Terrible health and nutrition, even for the rich, probably meant that menarche was quite late (17 or 18). Children were thus unlikely until the late teens at the earliest. 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.

For non-nobility, the situation was a little different. 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. 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. Thus, marriage would be delayed too (although not cohabitation.)

Finally, recent evidence is emerging that despite their lack of medical knowledge or resources, medieval people did manage birth control. 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. 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. 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.

Answer 2

Probably just as soon as they were physically capable. Most babies died, then, too. You should check out Ken Follett's book "Pillars of the Earth" about life in Medieval times (I thought it was a spy novel! Actually a soap opera of sorts, but pretty good).

Answer 3

15-16

Answer 4

Are you planning on having sex at an early age or something?

Answer 5

Basically as soon as they were biologically able to. A girl was considered to be marriage material once she had her first period.

Answer 6

Probably in their early teens, as people in that era died young.

Answer 7

10-14 i think