English summary: In medieval Spain, as in anywhere else in the world, love is a feeling that defies constraint. Yet there are certain forms of love that are governed by law, others which law advocates, and many others that assume marginal forms. In an Iberian Peninsula where cohabitating populations were abiding by the laws of Moses, Christ or Mohammed, the Muslim Calife - Commander of the Faithful - or the Christian King - the Vicar of God - were the guarantors of obedience to these three laws. However, despite strict rules against fornication, adultery, homosexuality and rape - particularly with members of other religions - and equally stringent provisions about betrothals, marriage, and family duties, the various manifestations of love seemed to be lawless. Spaniards of the Middle Ages, believing that Creation was good and was intended by God for the enjoyment of humankind, never did consider sex a sin. At worst, they viewed it as a minor offence and, supported in that belief by their physicians, they heeded neither moralists nor lawmen when it came to giving free rein to their emotions or their desires. French description: L'amour n'a jamais connu de loi, chante la Carmen de Bizet. L'affirmation etait particulierement vraie aux temps de l'Espagne medievale et aurait assurement ete corroboree par les chretiens, les juifs et les musulmans qui vivaient alors sur le territoire de l'ancienne Hispanie. Convaincus que la Creation etait bonne et avait ete faite par Dieu pour que l'homme en jouisse, les Espagnols du Moyen Age n'ont jamais considere le sexe comme un peche, tout au plus comme une peccadille, et, appuyes en cela par les medecins, n'ont ecoute ni les moralistes ni les hommes de loi a l'heure de donner libre court a leurs sentiments ou a leurs desirs.L'ouvrage propose une visite deconcertante dans ce labyrinthe des passions espagnoles depuis l'union mystique recherchee par Ibn Arabi et les kabbalistes aux bordels de Valence, en passant par l'exaltation de l'amitie, le mariage, l'homosexualite ou l'union libre.Docteur d'Etat de l'Universite de Paris IV-Sorbonne, directeur de recherches au CNRS rattachee a l'EHESS de Paris elle dirige un seminaire sur l'histoire culturelle de la Peninsule iberique, Adeline Rucquoi est l'auteur aux Belles Lettres de L'Espagne medievale (2002).
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