What's Sworn kinship?

'Sworn brotherhood' was a relationship in which two men who were not brothers, and not close kin, swore to become brothers. No doubt the details differ in different periods. Instances of it have been found over Europe and beyond, so no doubt it differed from place to place.

It was not only a male relationship, women could swear sisterhood too, although this is less well known. The collective term is sworn kinship.

It was often a relationship that commanded great respect. The vows were confirmed in the blessing rite of adelphopoiesis in the eastern church, and the order of fratres faciendum in the western church. In the east the aldelphopoiesis ceremony took place in the church. In the west, the vows were taken at the altar and were thus sworn before the relics of the saints, who would be physcially resurrected at the last day to bear witness to the vow and how it was kept. But more importantly, it was sworn before the reserve sacrament, the body and blood of Chist himself, who would judge the partners on the day of judgement.

Ballads and stories retell the hardships and tragedies that befell the partners in order to keep their vow of kinship.

If the couple had heraldic arms one might take the family arms of the other, or combine the two in the way that married couples combined them. Other symbolism of marriage was applied to sworn brothers or sisters. But although the two became legally related and recognised by society as brothers or sisters, the relationship is not the same as that of the bride who takes the grooms family and family name at marriage.

Just as marriage differs radically across cultures, sworn kinship was not one monolithic institution. Some minor variations are extreme.

Historical examples of sworn kinship are given on another page. Click here

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