Ruth Mazo Karras is professor emeritus of history at the University of Minnesota and the author of best-selling books and scholarly articles on medieval history and the history of gender and sexuality. Her books are known throughout the world. Sex in the Middle Ages is a challenge to the interpretation of the Middle Ages in general history. The conflicting religious views of the medieval public suggest that sex and sexuality were not a widely discussed topic in the era, but historian Ruth Mazo Carras has dispelled these myths. This edition includes the latest scientific research, covering such topics as chastity, marital sexual activity, illegal behavior, the role of the church in society, etc. The book is created both for those who study medieval history and culture, and for those who are interested in in general, how sexuality and sexual identity have been viewed in the past.