The way that we have perceived, described, and understood sexual desire has changed dramatically over time and across cultures. This collection brings together a group of experts from a variety of disciplines to explore the history of sexual desires and the transformation of sexual ideas, attitudes, and practices in premodern Europe. Among the topics considered are the visibility of sexual offenses and the construction of passions; the geographical range extends to Great Britain, with extended attention also to France as well as Northern and Eastern Europe. The result is a groundbreaking volume that adds significantly to our understanding of premodern European history, history of sexualities, gender studies, religious history, and many other fields.

Satu Lidman is at the Turku Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Studies.Tom Linkinen is at the Turku Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Studies.Meri Heinonen is at the Turku Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Studies.Marjo Kaartinen is at the Turku Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Studies.

Editors' ForewordIntroduction: Garthine WalkerPart I: Transforming Ideas and PracticesThomas Parry-Jones: The Naturalness of Sex in Medieval Roman LawKathleen Smith: Sensing Diverse Desires: Late Medieval English Pastoral Manuals and the Reassessment of SinBonnie Clementsson: Incest Between a Brother and Sister-in-Law - A Matter of Life and Death in Sweden Around 1700Tomasz Wislicz: Dialectics of Virginity: Controlling the Morals of the Youth in the Early Modern Polish CountrysideFaramerz Dabhoiwala: The First Sexual RevolutionPart II: Constructing PassionsCarin Franzén: Love and Desire in the French Moralist DiscourseKaren Hollewand: Hadriaan Beverland (1650-1716): Grand Libertine or Serious Scholar?Juliette Lancel: The Dream and the Sin: Erotic Dream in the France of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth CenturiesKaye McLelland: The Lame Man Makes The Best Lecher: Sex, Sin, and The Disabled Renaissance BodyJonas Liliequist: Between Passion and Lust: Framing Desire in Early Modern SwedenEpilogue: Lois Leveen: What Happens Between the Covers: Writing Premodern Desire for Audiences Beyond AcademiaIndexAuthors