THE MANY FAMILIES OF AELRED OF RIEVAULX

The Gregorian Reform, which banned clerical marriages and the inheritance of Church offi ces, not only changed the nature of priestly identity but also required sons of priests to fi nd new career paths for themselves. Did it also change how those sons thought about their families? The example of Aelred of Rievaulx, who came from a long line of priests, suggests ways to consider the mental and religious impact of the Reform on the sons of priests in the early days of its implementation. In this paper I explore how Aelred retreated from his biological family (although not entirely rejecting it) while fi nding other sorts of families and aff ective connections.