Legal Definitions - concubitor

Concubitor

A concubitor refers to a man who maintains a long-term, intimate relationship with a woman to whom he is not legally married. This woman, known as a concubine, typically holds a status distinct from a legal spouse, often in a household or arrangement recognized within specific historical or cultural contexts.

Here are some examples illustrating the concept of a concubitor:

• Example 1: Ancient Royal Court

  In ancient China, an emperor might have a primary empress and numerous other women living within his palace who were not legally married to him but with whom he had intimate relationships and children. These women were often referred to as concubines, and their children could sometimes inherit titles or positions.

  Explanation: The emperor, by maintaining these women in a recognized, intimate, non-marital relationship within his imperial household, would be considered a concubitor.

• Example 2: Historical European Aristocracy

  During the 18th century in France, a powerful nobleman, legally married to a duchess, also maintained a long-term mistress. This mistress lived in a separate residence provided by him, bore him several children, and her status, while not that of a wife, was publicly acknowledged within their social circle.

  Explanation: The nobleman, in this scenario, functioned as a concubitor because he supported and maintained a woman in a sustained, intimate relationship outside of his legal marriage, where her position was distinct from his wife's.

• Example 3: Modern Cultural Context (Hypothetical Application)

  Imagine a wealthy individual in a society where monogamous marriage is the legal norm. This individual is legally married to one woman but also financially supports another woman with whom he has a long-term, intimate relationship. This second woman lives in a separate home he provides and is known within a certain community as his "other partner," though not his legal wife.

  Explanation: While not a term commonly used in modern legal discourse, if one were to apply the historical definition, the individual could be described as a concubitor because he maintains a woman in a sustained, intimate, non-marital relationship, providing for her in a manner akin to keeping a concubine.