thumb|250px|In de groene landen is polygamie toegestaan (situatie 2006)
'''Polygamie''' is een man dan spreekt men van polygynie of veelwijverij. Polyandrie is de situatie van meerdere mannen bij één vrouw. Polygynie komt vaker voor dan polyandrie.<BR>Van bigamie wordt gesproken als er een tweede echtgenoot of echtgenote is; het is een bijzondere vorm van polygamie.

Polygamie is het tegenovergestelde van monogamie. Het hebben van meerdere of wisselende seksuele partners buiten een min of meer normaal huwelijk valt niet onder het begrip polygamie maar wordt vrije liefde genoemd.

Polygamie wordt in de meeste hedendaagse culturen niet toegestaan. In sommige culturen en enkele mormonen het hebben van meerdere vrouwen geaccepteerd. Terwijl de Islam op grond van de Koran polygynie toelaat onder bepaalde voorwaarden, is polyandrie er niet toegestaan.  In delen van de Islamitische wereld is het bezitten van meerdere vrouwen (een harem) een teken van welvaart.  Het komt echter steeds minder voor.

Polygamie verschilt daarin van polyamorie, dat het bij polygamie om een echtelijke verbintenis (rationele verbinding) gaat, terwijl het bij polyamorie om een liefdesverbinding (emotionele verbinding) gaat. Sleutelwoorden bij polyamorie zijn openheid en eerlijkheid, trouw, respectvol handelen en toestemming van alle betrokkenen.

Polygamie is in de meeste landen bij wet verboden. Polyamorie niet. 

==België==

In Burgerlijk Wetboek: ''Men mag geen tweede huwelijk aangaan voor de ontbinding van het eerste''.  Het Strafwetboek (artikel 391) verbiedt het uitdrukkelijk als een "misdaad tegen de openbare orde der familie en de openbare zedelijkheid": ''Hij die, door de banden van het huwelijk verbonden, een ander huwelijk aangaat vóór de ontbinding van het vorige, wordt gestraft met opsluiting'' (dit is vijf tot tien jaar).  Voor iemand met de Belgische nationaliteit geldt dit verbod wereldwijd; een vreemdeling is alleen strafbaar als hij zijn tweede of volgende huwelijk weer in België aangaat.

The term '''polygamy''' (a Greek word meaning "the practice of multiple marriage") is used in related ways in social anthropology, sociobiology, and sociology. Polygamy can be defined as any "form of marriage in which a person [has] more than one spouse."<ref>[http://www.socialsciencedictionary.org/index.php?title=Polygamy Polygamy] at socialsciencedictionary.org</ref>

In social anthropology, polygamy is the practice of state (see marriage for a discussion on the extent to which states can and do recognize potentially and actually polygamous forms as valid).  

In sociobiology, polygamy is used in a broad sense to mean any form of multiple mating. In a narrower sense, used by zoologists, polygamy includes a pair bond, perhaps temporary.

==Forms of polygamy==
Polygamy exists in three specific forms, including '''polygyny''' (one man having multiple wives), '''polyandry''' (one woman having multiple husbands), or '''group marriage''' (some combination of polygyny and polyandry). Historically, all three practices have been found, but polygyny is by far the most common in the world. Confusion arises when the broad term "polygamy" is used when a narrower definition is really meant.

====Polygyny==== 
fundamentalist offshoots.

====Polyandry==== 
Polyandry is a practice where a woman is married to more than one man at the same time. Fraternal polyandry was traditionally practiced among nomadic Tibetans in Nepal and parts of China, in which two or more brothers share the same wife, with her having equal sexual access to them. Polyandry is believed to be more likely in societies with scarce environmental resources, as it is believed to limit human population growth and enhance child survival. A woman can only have so many children in her lifetime, no matter how many husbands she has. On the other hand, a child with many "fathers", all of whom provide resources, is more likely to survive. (In contrast, the number of children would be increased if polygyny were practiced, and a man had more than one wife. These wives could be simultaneously pregnant).<ref> (Linda Stone, Kinship and Gender, 2006, Westview, 3rd ed, ch 6)[http://www.case.edu/affil/tibet/tibetanSociety/marriage.htm The Center for Research on Tibet] Papers on Tibetan Marriage and Polyandry. Accessed: October 1, 2006</ref> It is a rare form of marriage that exists not only among poor families, but also within the elite.<ref>Goldstein, Pahari and Tibetan Polyandry Revisited, Ethnology. 17(3): 325-327, 1978, from [http://www.case.edu/affil/tibet/tibetanSociety/marriage.htm The Center for Research on Tibet]. Accessed: October 1, 2007</ref>

====Group marriage====
Robert Heinlein's''line marriage, in which deceased or departing spouses in the group are continually replaced by others, so that family property never becomes dispersed through inheritance.

===Bigamy===
'''Bigamy''' is the act or condition of a person marrying another person while still being lawfully married to a third person. Bigamy is a crime in most western countries. For example, in the United States, because of the contract a married person makes upon becoming married, that person is obliged not to marry again as long as the first marriage continues; stipulations of the marriage license applying.

===Trigamy===
In seventeenth to nineteenth century England, '''trigamy''' referred to someone who had three spouses at the same time.

The term is typically used for comic reference. An example is the limerick by Lyme in Dorset, England.

:There was an old fellow of Lyme
:Who lived with three wives at one time.
:When asked, 'Why the third?'
:He replied, 'One’s absurd,
:and bigamy, sir, is a crime.'

From the modern legal perspective, trigamy is viewed as two counts of bigamy.

===Serial monogamy===

The phrase ''serial monogamy'' has been used to describe the lifestyle of persons who have repeatedly married and divorced multiple partners. 

===Other forms of nonmonogamy===

Other forms of nonmonogamous relationships are discussed at Forms of nonmonogamy.

===Benefits of polygamy===
Philip Kilbride, an American anthropologist, in his book, ''Plural Marriage for our Time'', proposes polygamy as a solution to some of the ills of the American society at large. He argues that plural marriage may serve as a potential alternative for divorce in many cases in order to obviate the damaging impact of divorce on many children. He maintains that many divorces are caused by the rampant extramarital affairs in the American society. According to Kilbride, ending an extramarital affair in a polygamous marriage, rather than in a divorce, is better for the children, "Children would be better served if family augmentation rather than only separation and dissolution were seen as options." Moreover, he suggests that other groups will also benefit from plural marriage such as: elderly women who face a chronic shortage of men.<ref>Kilbride, Philip Leroy. ''Plural Marriage For Our Time.'' Bergin & Garvey, 1994. ISBN 0-89789-314-X</ref>

==Polygamy worldwide==
According to the ''Ethnographic Atlas Codebook'', of the 1231 societies noted, 186 were monogamous. 453 had occasional polygyny, 588 had more frequent polygyny, and 4 had polyandry.<ref>[http://eclectic.ss.uci.edu/~drwhite/worldcul/Codebook4EthnoAtlas.pdf ''Ethnographic Atlas Codebook''] derived from George P. Murdock’s ''Ethnographic Atlas'' recording the marital composition of 1231 societies from 1960-1980</ref>

===Patterns of occurrence===
At the same time, even within societies which allow polygyny, the actual practice of polygyny occurs relatively rarely.
There are exceptions: in Senegal, for example, nearly 47 percent of marriages are multiple.<ref>
{{cite news 
  | last = Diouf
  | first = Nafi
  | title = Polygamy hangs on in Africa
  | publisher = The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
  |date=May 2, 2004
  | url = http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4196/is_20040502/ai_n10968614 }}
</ref>
To take on more than one wife often requires considerable resources: this may put polygamy beyond the means of the vast majority of people within those societies. Such appears the case in many traditional Islamic societies, and in Imperial China.

Within polygynous societies, multiple wives often become a status symbol denoting wealth and power. Similarly, within societies that formally prohibit polygamy, social opinion may look favorably on persons maintaining mistresses or engaging in serial monogamy.

Some observers detect a social preference for polygyny in disease-prone (especially tropical) climates, and speculate that (from a potential mother's viewpoint) perceived quality of paternal genes may favour the practice there. The countervailing situation allegedly prevails in harsher climates, where (once again from a potential mother's viewpoint) reliable paternal care as exhibited in monogamous pair-bonding outweighs the importance of paternal genes.

===Polygamy in African societies===

Polygamy existed all over Africa as an aspect of culture or/and religion (mainly Islam). Plural marriages have been more common than not in the history of Africa. Many African societies saw children as a form of wealth thus the more children a family had the more powerful it was. Thus polygamy was part of empire building. It was only during the colonial era that plural marriage was perceived as taboo. Esther Stanford, an African-focused lawyer, states that this decline was encouraged because the issues of property ownership conflicted with European colonial interest.<ref>[http://www.africanholocaust.net/news_ah/africanmarriageritual.html Polygamy in Africa] - Polygamy in Africa</ref>
====South Africa and Sudan====
Polygamy is encouraged in states such as Sudan, and is very common in West Africa (Muslim and traditionalist).<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1493309.stm Omar Hassan al-Bashir, has urged Sudanese men to take more than one wife to increase the population]</ref>  In South Africa traditionalist Christian commonly practice polygamy.<ref>[http://allafrica.com/stories/200803170605.html South Africa Polygamy debate]</ref> The leader of the ANC, Jacob Zuma is also openly in favor of plural marriages, being married to numerous wives himself.<ref> [http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22948641-32682,00.html Zuma charmed wives and nation] The Australian</ref><ref>[http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?articleid=328908 Zuma to wed on Saturday] M&G </ref> The wives live in small houses in a circle around the master compound.  <ref>[http://www.africanholocaust.net/articles/SOUTH%20AFRICA%2010%20DAYS.htm South Africa Polygamist Christians]</ref>

===Polygamy in Chinese culture===
Since the concubines. Polygyny is a by-product of the tradition of emphasis on procreation and the continuity of the father's family name.<!-- this ref does not support the sentence it is attached to [http://www.exeas.org/resources/your-honor.html]--> Before the establishment of the People's Republic of China, it was lawful to have a wife and multiple concubines within Chinese marriage. An emperor, government official or rich merchant could have up to hundreds of concubines after marrying his first wife, or tai-tai.<!-- this link only suports the Qing dynasty's imperial ruling nobles having several wives and concubines [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4396246.stm]-->

The Chinese culture of Confucianism and thus the practice of polygyny spread from China to the areas that are now Korea and Japan. Before the establishment of the modern democratic mode, Eastern countries permitted a similar practice of polygyny.<ref>[http://ieas.berkeley.edu/cks/k12_kang.html The Legacy Lingers On: Korean Confucianism and the Erosion of Women’s Rights] by Hildi Kang, Research Fellow, Center for Korean Studies, University of California, Berkeley]</ref>

=====Situation in East Asia=====
After the Communist Revolution in 1949, polygamy was banned. This occurred via the Marriage Act of  1953.

In Mongolia, there has been discussion about legalizing polygamy to reduce the imbalance of the male and female population.<ref>[http://news.china.com/zh_cn/social/1007/20050221/12121239.html ??] — article in Chinese</ref>

In Hong Kong, polygamy was banned in October 1971. <!-- these websites do not support the sentence it is cited for [http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/bdmreg_4.htm][http://law.hku.hk/lmsf/Law%20on%20Marriage.pdf]--><ref name="Man-Lun Ng">[http://www2.hu-berlin.de/sexology/IES/hongkong.html#2 Hong Kong], article by Man-Lun Ng, M.D.; part of [http://www2.hu-berlin.de/sexology/IES/ "The International Encyclopedia of Sexuality"] Volume I – IV 1997–2001, Edited by Robert T. Francoeur</ref> However, it is still practiced in Hong Kong and Macau. One example of this is Stanley Ho. Another is Lim Por Yen.<ref>[http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2004/09/28/2003204708 Tycoon, concubine engage in battle over her legal rights], The Observer, Tuesday, September 28, 2004, Page 5</ref> Some Hong Kong businessmen have concubines across the border in mainland China. Kevin Murphy of The International Herald Tribune<ref name="lang-smart">{{cite journal
|author=Graeme Lang, Josephine Smart
|title=Migration and the “second wife” in South China: Toward cross-border polygyny
|journal=The International Migration Review
|year=2002
|volume=36
|issue=5
|pages=546–569}}</ref> reports the cross-border polygyny phenomenon in Hong Kong in 1995.<ref>[http://www.iht.com/articles/1995/02/07/lunar.php Hong Kong Targets Its Two-Family Men], Kevin Murphy, International Herald Tribune, Tuesday, February 7, 1995</ref>

Man-Lun Ng, M.D. of Humboldt University of Berlin reported the situation in Hong Kong: it was estimated that out of the approximately two million married couples in Hong Kong, about 300,000 husbands had mistresses in mainland China (1996). In 1995, 40% of extramarital affairs involved an enduring long-term relationship with a stable partner.<ref name="Man-Lun Ng"/>
<!---There are signs that citizens of Hong Kong are getting progressively dissatisfied with the monogamous marital system. The annual number of divorce cases doubled from 5507 cases in 1989 to 10,492 cases in 1997, while the number of marriages in the same period dropped from 43,952 to 37,593 (Hong Kong Government 1998). In recent years, the high occurrence of males taking mistresses in mainland China has affected the marital failure rate to the extent that is has become a social concern. In 1996, it was estimated that out of the approximately two million married couples in Hong Kong, about three hundred thousand husbands had mistresses in China. If unfaithful wives and those husbands who have mistresses in Hong Kong or practice casual sex are included, it is reasonable to estimate that at least about one third of the married couples are or have been unfaithful to their spouses.

The Family Service Division of the Hong Kong Council of Social Services Clientele Information Service, a major marriage counseling center in Hong Kong, reported that extramarital affairs constituted 26.1% of their cases from 1988 to 1990. The Hong Kong Catholic Advisory Council reported that extramarital affairs occupied about 38% of their case load in 1993 and 32% were husbands' affairs and 6% wives' affairs. The Caritas Family Service in the same year reported a similar proportion, and 40% of the extramarital affairs involved a stable partner (Young et al 1995).--->

The traditional attitude toward mistresses is reflected in the saying: "wife is not as good as concubine, concubine is not as good as prostitute, prostitute is not as good as secret affair, secret affair is not as good as the affair you want but can't get" (妻不如妾, 妾不如妓, 妓不如偷, 偷不如偷不到).<!-- Google search results are not proper citations [http://www.google.co.jp/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2005-09,GGLD:en&q=%E5%A6%BB%E4%B8%8D%E5%A6%82%E5%A6%BE+%E5%A6%BE%E4%B8%8D%E5%A6%82%E5%A6%93]-->

The number of women becoming the secret second wife is ever increasing in east Asia.   In Thai translation, "Mia", pronounced "ME-UH", is wife; and MIA-NOI, pronounced (ME-UH-NOY" is second wife (aka Mistress), or more literally, "less than wife" and in some translations "minor wife". The "real" wife or main wife is the "MIA-LUANG", pronounced "ME-UH-LOU-AANG" (and means wife #1).  The husband is expected to take care of all the wives, but Mia Luang is the most important as she is typically the bearer of children.<!-- Google search results are not proper citations [http://www.google.com.hk/search?hl=en&q=%E4%BA%8C%E5%A5%B6&btnG=Google+Search&meta=]--> 

The terms 二奶 (er nai/ yi nai) & 包二奶 (bao er nai / bao yi nai) refer to the second woman and the act of having the second woman respectively.
Mansions and villages are now nicknamed 二奶村 (er nai cun / yi nai tsuen) (village of second woman) when a number of secret second wives live.<!-- Google search results are not proper citations [http://www.google.com.hk/search?q=%E4%BA%8C%E5%A5%B6%E6%9D%91&hl=en&lr=&start=40&sa=N]-->

===Polygamy and religion===
====Hinduism====
Both polygamy and polygyny were practiced in ancient, medieval and early-modern times, among many sections of Hindu society. For example, in Ramayan, father of Ramchandra, king Dasharath has three wives but Ram  has pledged himself just one wife. The only instance of polyandry in Indian mythology is seen in Mahabharat where Draupadi marries 5 brothers, the pandawas. Krishna, the 8th incarnation of Vishnu had 16,108 wives. Hinduism during the vedic period did not prohibit polygamy, in fact it prescribed rules to regulate it (though no limit was placed on the number of spouses). Historically, kings routinely took concubines. For example, the Vijaynagara emperor, Krishnadevaraya had multiple "wives." Monogamy was only imposed by 18th. and 19th. century Christian European imperialists, especially the British Raj. Under modern Hindu Marriage Law, polygamy is forbidden for Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs. However, Muslims in India are allowed to have multiple wives. Marriage laws in India are dependent upon the religion of the subject in question.<ref>[http://www.sudhirlaw.com/Marriages.html Marriages-Divorces] section at general information website on Indian laws by Sudhir Shah & Associates</ref>

====Judaism====
Scriptural evidence indicates that polygamy among the ancient Hebrews, though not extremely common, was not particularly unusual and was certainly not prohibited or discouraged. The Hebrew scriptures document approximately forty polygamists, including such prominent figures as Abraham, Jacob, Esau, and David, with little or no further remark on their polygamy as such.<!-- this website about "Christian Polygamy" is not a reputable/reliable source for Judaic material [http://www.biblicalpolygamy.com/polygamists/]--> The Torah, Judaism's central text, includes a few specific regulations on the practice of polygamy, such as Exodus 21:10, which states that multiple marriages are not to diminish the status of the first wife; Deuteronomy 21:15-17, which states that a man must award the inheritance due to a first-born son to the son who was actually born first, even if he hates that son's mother and likes another wife more<Ref>[http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0521.htm#15 Deuteronomy 21:15-17]</ref>; and Deuteronomy 17:17, which states that the king shall not have too many wives.<ref>[http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=9981&showrashi=true Judaica Press Complete Tanach, Devarim - Chapter 17] from Chabad.org</ref> 
One source of polygamy was the practice of levirate marriage, wherein a man was required to marry and support his deceased brother's widow, as mandated by . 
All of those instances of polygamy, however, are very narrow cases rather than general rules. Exodus 21:10 speaks of Jewish concubines. Deuteronomy 21:15-17 speaks of the children of "hated wife" implying she is divorced. The king's behavior is condemned by Prophet Samuel in 1Samuel 8. Israeli lexicographer Vadim Cherny argues that the Torah carefully distinguishes concubines and "sub-standard" wives with prefix "to", lit. "took to wives."<Ref>[http://vadimcherny.org/judaism/women_similar_wives.htm Women, similar to wives]</ref>

In the modern day, Rabbinic Judaism has essentially outlawed polygamy. Ashkenazi Jews have followed Rabbenu Gershom's ban since the 11th century.<ref>[http://www.faqs.org/faqs/judaism/FAQ/04-Observance/section-55.html Frequently asked questions, Judaism and Polygamy]</ref> Some Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews (particularly those from Yemen and Iran) discontinued polygamy much more recently, as they emigrated to countries where it was forbidden. The State of Israel has severely limited the ability for Jews to enter polygamous marriages,<ref>The law requires to obtain permission of the chief rabbis.</ref> but instituted provisions for existing polygamous families immigrating from countries where the practice was legal.

Among Karaite Jews, who do not adhere to Rabbinic interpretations of the Torah, polygamy is non-existent today. Karaites interpret Leviticus 18:18 to mean that a man can only take a second wife if his first wife gives her consent (Keter Torah on Leviticus, pp.96—97) and Karaites interpret Exodus 21:10 to mean that a man can only take a second wife if he is capable of maintaining the same level of marital duties due to his first wife; the marital duties are 1) food, 2) clothing, and 3) sexual gratification. Because of these two biblical limitations and because nearly all counties outlaw it, polygamy is considered impractical, and there are no known cases of it among Karaite Jews.

====Buddhism====
Marriage is considered a secular issue in Buddhism. According to Theravada Buddhism, polygamy is discouraged and extramatrial affairs are considered sinful. It is said in the Parabawa Sutta that "a man who is not satisfied with one woman and seeks out other women is on the path to decline". In Tibetan Buddhism, namely Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism, it is not uncommon to take a consort in addition to a spouse, though it is namely for certain spiritual practices that the spouse may not be able/ready to participate in--or if the husband/wife are at different levels on their spiritual path.  A consort is appropriate in such cases. Within this context, either the husband or wife, occasionally both, might take a spiritual consort. This is known as Consort Practice, and there are specific teachings and meditations that go along with it. Consort Practice is often very private, however, and not openly discussed outside of followers of Tibetan Vajrayana--which tends to be a very private form of Buddhism in general -- hence it is not very well known. Husbands and wives also engage in Consort Practice together, monogamously.

The 2008 BBC documentary series "A Year in Tibet", however, recorded three distinct cases of polyandry in and around the city of Gyantse alone (the pregnant farmer's wife in episode 1, "The Visit"; Yangdron in episode 2, "Three Husbands and a Wedding"; and the young monk, Tsephun's, mother in episode 5, "A Tale of Three Monks"). In "Three Husbands and a Wedding", a 17-year-old girl is also shown being forced into a marriage that would have been polyandrous, except that the younger, 12-year-old, brother had to attend school on the wedding day (his parents hint that he will marry his older brother's new wife at a later date). The programs include statements from the women involved that indicate they did not enter the polyandrous marriages willingly, and commentary that indicates young women in Tibet are routinely forced by their families into polyandrous marriages with two or more brothers.

Polyandry (especially fraternal polyandry) is also common among Buddhists in Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Ladakh, and other parts of the Indian subcontinent.

====Christianity====
Saint Augustine saw a conflict with Old Testament polygamy. He writes in ''The Good of Marriage'' (chapter 15) that, although it "was lawful among the ancient fathers: whether it be lawful now also, I would not hastily pronounce. For there is not now necessity of begetting children, as there then was, when, even when wives bear children, it was allowed, in order to a more numerous posterity, to marry other wives in addition, which now is certainly not lawful."  He refrained from judging the patriarchs, but did not deduce from their practice the ongoing acceptability of polygamy. In chapter 7, he wrote, "Now indeed ''in our time'', and ''in keeping with Roman custom'', it is no longer allowed to take another wife, so as to have more than one wife living." [emphasis added] 

The New Testament authors seem to prefer monogamy from church leaders. Paul writes in 1Timothy 3:2, " A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;"  Something similar is repeated in the first chapter of the book of Titus. 

However, the Roman Catholic Church has subsequently taught on more fundamental grounds that "polygamy is not in accord with the moral law. [Conjugal] communion is radically contradicted by polygamy; this, in fact, directly negates the plan of God which was revealed from the beginning, because it is contrary to the equal personal dignity of men and women who in matrimony give themselves with a love that is total and therefore unique and exclusive." ([http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a6.htm Catholic Cathechism, para. 2387, Vatican website]). This is also the normal position among Protestant Churches, and it can therefore be said that the mainstream Christian position is to reject polygamy in principle.

Periodically, Christian reform movements that have aimed at rebuilding Christian doctrine based on the Bible alone (''sola scriptura'') have at least temporarily accepted polygamy as a Biblical practice. For example, during the Protestant Reformation, in a document referred to simply as  ''"Der Beichtrat"'' (or ''"The Confessional Advice"'' ),<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=kqyauQISxFEC&vid=0syFeDjkzVczX39npTyMsU2&dq=Dr.+Martin+Luthers+Briefe%2C+Sendschreiben&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&jtp=238 Letter to Philip of Hesse], December 10, 1539, De Wette-Seidemann, 6:238-244</ref> Martin Luther granted the Landgrave Philip of Hesse, who, for many years, had been living "constantly in a state of adultery and fornication,"<ref>The Life of Luther Written by Himself, p.251 [http://books.google.com/books?id=ojwMAAAAIAAJ&vid=OCLC24799826&dq=%22The+Life+of+Luther+Written+by+Himself%22&jtp=251]</ref> a dispensation to take a second wife. The double marriage was to be done in secret however, to avoid public scandal.<ref>James Bowling Mozley ''Essays, Historical and Theological.''  1:403-404 Excerpts from ''Der Beichtrat''.[http://books.google.com/books?vid=OCLC05173520&id=ofwE7kEdx6QC&pg=PA403&dq=%22essays+historical+and+theological%22]</ref>   Some fifteen years earlier, in a letter to the Saxon Chancellor Gregor Brück, Luther stated that he could not "forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture." ("''Ego sane fateor, me non posse prohibere, si quis plures velit uxores ducere, nec repugnat sacris literis.''")<ref>Letter to the Chancellor Gregor Brück,[http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregor_Brück] January 13, 1524, De Wette 2:459.<!--this link does not work - [http://books.google.com/books?ie=UTF-8&q=Ego+sane+fateor,+me+non+posse+prohibere]--></ref> 

"On February 14, 1650, the parliament at Nürnberg decreed that, because so many men were killed during the Thirty Years’ War, the churches for the following ten years could not admit any man under the age of 60 into a monastery. Priests and ministers not bound by any monastery were allowed to marry. Lastly, the decree stated that every man was allowed to marry up to ten women. The men were admonished to behave honorably, provide for their wives properly, and prevent animosity among them."<ref>Larry O. Jensen, [http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/Rg/images/Ger_BMD_RefDoc_HandbookGermanResearch.pdf A Genealogical Handbook of German Research] (Rev. Ed., 1980) p. 59.</ref><ref>Joseph Alfred X. Michiels, ''Secret History of the Austrian Government and of its Systematic Persecutions of Protestants'' (London: Chapman and Hall, 1859) p. 85 (copy at Google Books), the author stating that he is quoting from a copy of the legislation.</ref><ref>William Walker Rockwell, ''Die Doppelehe des Landgrafen Philipp von Hessen'' (Marburg, 1904), p. 280, n. 2 (copy at Google Books), which reports the number of wives allowed was two.</ref><ref>Leonhard Theobald, “Der angebliche Bigamiebeschluß des fränkischen Kreistages” [“The So-called Bigamy Decision of the Franconian Kreistag”], ''Beitrage zur Bayerischen kirchengeschichte'' [Contributions to Bavarian Church History] 23 (1916 – bound volume dated 1917) Erlangen: 199-200 (Theobald reporting that the Franconian Kreistag did not hold session between 1645 and 1664, and that there is no record of such a law in the extant archives of Nürnberg, Ansbach, or Bamberg, Theobald believing that the editors of the Fränkisches Archiv must have misunderstood a draft of some other legislation from 1650).</ref><ref>Alfred Altmann, "Verein für Geschichte der Stadt Nürnburg," ''Jahresbericht über das 43 Vereinsjahr 1920'' [Annual Report for the 43rd Year 1920 of the Historical Society of the City of Nuremberg] (Nürnberg 1920): 13-15 (Altmann reporting a lecture he had given discussing the polygamy permission said to have been granted in Nuremberg in 1650, Altmann characterizing the Fränkisches Archiv as “merely a popular journal, not an edition of state documents,” and describing the tradition as “a literary fantasy”).</ref>

The modern trend towards frequent divorce and remarriage is sometimes referred to by conservative Christians as 'serial polygamy'.  In contrast, sociologists and anthropologists refer to this as 'serial monogamy', since it is a series of monogamous (i.e. not polygamous) relationships.<ref name= "Helen Fisher ">{{cite book
|last=Fisher|first=Helen|publisher=Ballantine Books|title=The First Sex|pages=271-72, 276|id=ISBN 0-449-91260-4}}</ref> 
<!-- the link has no relevant material & can't find any at site - [http://oregonstate.edu/dept/anthropology/glossary2.htm] -->

In Sub-Saharan Africa, there has often been a tension between the Christian churches' insistence on monogamy and traditional polygamy. In some instances in recent times there have been moves for accommodation; in others churches have resisted such moves strongly. African Independent Churches have sometimes referred to those parts of the Old Testament which describe polygamy in defending the practice.

====Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Mormon fundamentalists====

The history of Mormon polygamy begins with claims that Joseph Smith received a revelation from God on LDS Church.<ref>[http://scriptures.lds.org/dc/132 Doctrine and Covenants 132] as found at lds.org</ref>  For years the practice of plural marriage by Mormons in the John Taylor during 1850 in Liverpool, England.<ref>THREE NIGHTS PUBLIC DISCUSSION Between The Revds. C. W. Cleeve, James Robertson, and Philip Cater, And Elder John Taylor, Of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, At Boulogne-Sur-Mer, France. Chairman, Rev. K. Groves, M.A., Assisted By Charles Townley, LL.D., and Mr. Luddy. pg 8-9</ref> Polygamy was illegal in the state of Illinois<ref>Greiner & Sherman, Revised Laws of Illinois, 1833, pg. 198-199</ref>  during the 1839-44 Nauvoo era when several top Mormon leaders including Smith, Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball took plural wives. Mormon elders who publicly taught that all men were commanded to enter plural marriage were subject to discipline; for example, the February 1, 1844 excommunication of Hyram Brown.<ref>[http://www.centerplace.org/history/ts/v5n03.htm Times and Seasons, vol. 5, pg. 423], February 1, 1844</ref> In May 1844 Smith declared, "What a thing it is for a man to be accused of committing adultery, and having seven wives, when I can only find one."<ref>[http://www.boap.org/LDS/History/History_of_the_Church/Vol_VI History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Volume VI], edited by B. H. Roberts, 1902.</ref> On June 7, 1844 the ''Nauvoo Expositor'' criticized Smith for plural marriage. The Nauvoo city council declared the ''Nauvoo Expositor'' press a nuisance and ordered Smith, as Nauvoo's mayor, to order the city marshall to destroy the paper and its press. This controversial decision led to Smith going to Carthage Jail where he was killed by a mob on June 27, 1844. The main body of Mormons soon followed Brigham Young to Utah where the practice of plural marriage continued.  

On Apostle Republican Party's 1856 platform was "to prohibit in the territories those twin relics of barbarism, polygamy and slavery".<ref>[http://www.ushistory.org/gop/convention_1856.htm GOP Convention of 1856 in Philadelphia] from the Independence Hall Association website</ref> In Congress and the U.S. territories.  Latter-day Saints believed that their religiously-based practice of plural marriage was protected by the Constitution.<ref>[http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment01/05.html Free Exercise Clause - First Amendment]</ref> However the Supreme Court ''Reynolds v. United States'' decision declared that polygamy was not protected by the Constitution, based on the longstanding legal principle that "laws are made for the government of actions, and while they cannot interfere with mere religious belief and opinions, they may with practices."<ref>[http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?navby=search&court=US&case=/us/98/145.html Reynolds v. United States] at findlaw.com</ref> 

Increasingly harsh anti-polygamy legislation penalized church members, disincorporated the church, and permitted the seizure of church property. Members of the church were subsequently sent to Manifesto) announcing the official discontinuance of the practice in 1890. Woodruff indicated in his diary that his action was taken "for the temporal salvation of the Church" which had been shown to him as being in danger through a vision from the Lord.<ref>[http://scriptures.lds.org/en/od/1 1890 Manifesto] as found at lds.org</ref> Much of the opposition against the church ceased because of the Manifesto. Opposition to statehood for Utah faded as the controversy over Mormon polygamy waned. (Utah was granted statehood in 1896.)

National attention in the United States again focused on potential polygamy among the church in the early House of Representatives hearings on Representative-elect Senate hearings on Senator-elect Reed Smoot (the apostles met to investigate post-Manifesto polygamy, and by 1910 the church had a new policy. Those involved in plural marriages after 1904 were excommunicated; and those married between 1890 and 1904 were not to have church callings where other members would have to sustain them. Although the LDS Church officially prohibited new plural marriages after 1904, many plural husbands and wives continued to cohabit until their deaths in the 1940s and 1950s.<ref>[http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/p/POLYGAMY.html Polygamy] entry in the Utah Historical Encyclopedia, Church president to have practiced plural marriage. Leaders of the LDS church say that because they have restored the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth, plural marriage was a temporary necessity for this purpose.
 
The LDS Church now excommunicates members found to be practicing polygamy.<ref>[http://www.mormon.org/question/faq/category/answer/0,9777,1601-1-114-1,00.html What is the Church’s position on polygamy?] at LDS Church owned website</ref> The "Teachings of Brigham Young"<ref>[http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Curriculum/mpandrs.htm/brigham%20young.htm?fn=document-frameset.htm$f=templates$3.0 Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young], © 1997 by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Publication number 35554</ref> and a LDS website on Joseph Smith<ref>[http://www.josephsmith.net/portal/site/JosephSmith/menuitem.da0e1d4eb6d2d87f9c0a33b5f1e543a0/?vgnextoid=031f001cfb340010VgnVCM1000001f5e340aRCRD&locale=0 Joseph Smith, Life of the Prophet, Joseph and Emma, "The Choice of My Heart"]</ref> are some examples on how LDS Church publications now commonly characterize the history of early church leaders on the practice of plural marriage. 

Although Mormons accept the prohibition on plural marriage, various splinter groups left the mainline LDS Church to continue the open practice of plural marriage. Polygamy among these groups persists today in Mormon fundamentalist" even though, because they are practicing polygamy, they are not a part of the LDS church and therefore are not accurately considered "Mormon". They often use an ambiguous John Taylor as the basis for their authority to continue the practice of plural marriage.<ref>[http://www.mormonfundamentalism.com/NEWFILES/1886RevelationNew.htm "An 1886 Revelation to John Taylor"]<!-- <!-- There may be a better cite for this material than this website--></ref> The ''Salt Lake Tribune'' states there are as many as 37,000 fundamentalists, with less than half of them living in polygamous households.<ref>[http://www.principlevoices.org/article.php?story=20050828124239994 "LDS splinter groups growing"] by Brooke Adams, August 9, 2005 - SLT Article ID: 10BF07C805DE5990<!-- Note: this is a [[Wikipedia:Convenience_links|convenience link, as the original article is currently only viewable by subscription to the SLT archives, but article number provided for verifiability--></ref> Most of the polygamy is believed to be restricted to about a dozen extended groups of polygamous fundamentalists. The LDS Church asserts that it is improper to call any of these splinter polygamous groups "Mormon."<ref>[http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=21525e876b68f010VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRD&vgnextchannel=9ae411154963d010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD "Mormon Fundamentalists"], 6 March 2006 press release by the LDS Church</ref><ref>[http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=0ebf22526078f010VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRD&vgnextchannel=9ae411154963d010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD "Polygamist Sects Are Not 'Mormons,' Church Says"], 25 October 2006 press release by the LDS Church</ref>

====Islam====

In Islam, polygamy is allowed, with the specific limitation that men can only have up to four wives at any one time. However, the Islamic law which permits polygamy, certain elements within some Muslim societies challenge its acceptability. For example, polygamy is prohibited by law in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Tunisia and Turkey.

==Legal situation==