The problem of fraternal relations in the early Middle Ages has not been hitherto studied in detail, especially in comparison with the multitude of studies dealing with the models of marriage, gender-based social roles, or the relations between generations. Historians have been often prone to assume that relations between siblings in European culture were naturally constant, based on loyalty, solidarity, and readiness to act in the common interest, stemming from blood ties. However, this conviction equates the category of brotherhood/fraternitas used by medieval authors with concepts associated with sources from later periods. This study does not concern narrowly defined family history, but is an attempt to examine fraternal relations in the early Middle Ages as a multidimensional cultural phenomenon. As the author seeks to demonstrate, it is difficult to speak of kinship in the ninth century and later without being aware of the religious and ideological implications of the transformations taking place at the time, even if direct traces of the impact of moralizing and theological teachings on the conduct of individuals are hard to capture in the sources.

Aneta Pieniądz is an associate professor in Medieval History at the University of Warsaw. She researches the social history of the early Middle Ages, family history, digital tools for medievalists, and is interested in pedagogy and outreach.

Preface
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: The Meaning of the Terms "Brother" and "Brotherhood” in Early Medieval Sources
Chapter 3: Equality and Fraternal Hierarchies
Chapter 4: Between Love and Hate: Models of Fraternal Relations
Chapter 5: Fraternal Relations in the Context of Law and Social Practice
Chapter 6: Paternal Uncles and Nephews
Chapter 7: Brothers and Their Wives
Chapter 8: Conclusion