This individual sovereignty of a German State is somewhat analogous to that of a State in the American Union. However, we must for the purposes of this chapter notice one important difference. The legislative power of the central authority of the German Empire is not only exclusive on certain imperial matters, but its acts take precedence in such domestic concerns as domicile, judicial procedure, marriage and divorce, and the general rights of a German subject. The Constitution of the Empire (April 16, 1871) enumerates in detail the powers, limitations and relations of the different organs of government. From the _Germania_ of Tacitus and other authorities we learn that among the early Germans marriage was largely a matter of bargain and sale. In the presence of certain relatives or friends the father or guardian of a female delivered her to the bridegroom on receipt of the purchase price. Marriage by abduction was also recognized, but the abducter was obliged to make compensation to the abducted female's father or guardian, which compensation amounted in effect to an agreed purchase price. Although the consent of the female was never asked or considered on the question of marriage, we are told by Tacitus that German wives were remarkable for their fidelity and affection and were treated as friends by their husbands, who had a high respect for their judgment in all concerns of life. From the mediæval times Christianity has exercised a strong and correcting influence on the relation of marriage in Germany. At first the Christian Church recognized the informally declared agreement to marry on the part of the man and woman, which is called nowadays a betrothal, as all that was necessary to make them husband and wife. If the agreement referred to some future time, however, they were not considered as actually married until cohabitation had taken place. By the decrees of the Council of Trent, ratified in 1564, the Roman Catholic Church made it a requirement for the first time that in order to constitute a valid marriage the declarations of the couple must be made before a priest and witnesses. It was not until the eighteenth century that the Protestant Church in Germany adopted the rule that a marriage is not concluded simply by betrothal or mutual agreement, but requires a formal religious celebration. The _Personenstandsgesetz_, which became law on January 1, 1876, provided for the first time governmental regulation of marriage on a non-sectarian basis for the German Empire. It was not, however, until the enactment of the Civil Code that a clear and methodical statement of the law of marriage and divorce was given to the German people.