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The main function in the pagan family was procreation. If there was no childbearing in the family, then this family was considered incomplete. It is necessary and important to emphasize that a pagan family is a large family. The state has always respected large families, and in the 20th century, Stolypin relied on large families.

In ancient Russia, the family did not have the right to terminate the marriage. In the pagan era, marriages were concluded in words, rituals were performed, and there was an understanding that marriage with one wife is «forever» and extends beyond the grave. But since the main factor in the family was childbirth, and if the wife could not give birth to her husband’s child, then the husband had the right to take another wife. Most often, there was no divorce as such; just the husband took another wife.

Polygamy in Russia was present in all Slavic tribes, from which the Russian ethnos was subsequently formed. In pagan times, polygamy existed among Western, southern, and eastern Slavs. Before the adoption of Christianity, many princes had several wives. The Polish Prince Mieszko had seven wives, the Czech Prince Slavnik had many wives, the Pomeranian prince had several wives, as well as twenty-four concubines. Among the Old Russian nobility, in addition to polygamy, concubinage also flourished. From our Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich had a whole harem. He had 300 concubines in two ancient Russian cities of Belgorod and Vyshgorod, as well as another 200 in the village of Berestov. The prince brought concubines from military campaigns; the concubine became a prisoner, and served as entertainment to the prince and his retinue, as well as concubines were the subject of trade.