There was the development of Feudalism, The Crusades, The Magna Carta, The Hundred Years' War, The Black Death, and the disagreements between Popes and Kings.
In 1753, however, the Marriage Act, promoted by the Lord Chancellor, Lord Hardwicke, declared that all marriage ceremonies must be conducted by a minister in a parish church or chapel of the Church of England to be legally binding.
Department of Taxation and Finance. Information for Same-Sex Married Couples. Since the Marriage Equality Act (the Act) took effect on July 24, 2011, all marriages, whether between same-sex couples or different-sex couples, are treated equally under the laws of New York.