In the year 1000, one would be a serf of such noble person, whereas by 1400, one would be a serf/freeman of this village, who happened to be ruled by a certain lord.

Also, the move from a clans-based society to a core-family based society reinforced the sanctity of marriage, which was less used as a means of alliance between families, and thus became more strongly normalised : only clerics remained celibate ; lay people remaining celibate became suspected of heresy. This reinforcement of the sanctity of marriage was actively promoted by the church ; it goes hand in hand with its involvement in the social norms of sexuality.

Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium; atque, ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.