My Lord Katie: Katharina von Bora Luther

Marriage

Marriage ... in theory

In early 1525 Dr. martin Luther was confronted with the problem of marriage, theoretically. He found himself recommending it to Wolfgang Reissenbusch, to his good friend Georg Spalatin, and even to Albrecht the archbishop and elector of Mainz. A normal man should not "wriggle out of being with a wife."

When colleagues of the University of Wittenberg expressed their disapproval of marriage for the clergy, Luther reacted in his own way. He told Spalatin he had three women in mind and that he was also a "notorious lover."

In April 1525 Luther traveled to Eisleben stopping in Mansfeld to speak to his parents about marriage. He wanted their approval. It was at this time he decided to marry Katie. Until this time he had considered her arrogant, but with all the other nuns unavaialable, he had to take the last one left.

The Luther Wedding
oil on wood, by Willem Linnig, Jr.
circa 1880

The Clergy and the Sixth Commandment

Late medieval clergy and religious were not universally celibate. This was well understood by the church, which arranged appropriate fines and punishments for clergy who visited prostitutes, seduced virgins, committed adultery (that is, had affairs with married women), or lived with concubines and had children of their own (a "cradle tax" was levied on each child). The laity resented such behavior on the clergy's part, but not in every case. There are many examples of laity accepting and even admiring local clerics who lived in monogamous relationships as responsible husbands and fathers.

Such popular sentiment helped make clerical marriage as prominent a part of the Reformation as changes in religious doctrine and practice. For the many clerics who turned protestant, sexual freedom was as important as religious freedom, escape from celibacy as burning an issue as escape from false doctrine.

--Steven Ozment in Protestants: The Birth of a Revolution

The Wedding

The wedding came as a surprise. Friends in Wittenberg disagreed. They were mainly opposed with his marrying the former nun. With all of Wittenberg talking Luther decided to quickly.

On June 13, 1525, a Tuesday, in the evening, the couple became engaged before witnesses including Justus Jonas, Johann Bugenhagen, pastor of the Wittenberg city church, and the Cranachs, with whom Katie had been living. Immediately after the engagement they were married by Pastor Bugenhagen.

The reception that followed was a small meal with the witnesses. The council of Wittenberg donated the wine. And two weeks later, on June 27, a large reception was held for out-of-town guests.