Do you have any sources for that information? I hadn’t run into that statement before.
I'll see what I can find. I know it from memory, but I imagine there's a link out there somewhere. (Though I do realize that details on many things about Church history are not available online :-( For example, I've been meanuing to make the time to write to the Vatican for a copy of what came out of the First Council of Braga, and it just keeps getting pushed off.
It has to do with Age of Reason being seven, etc., as I understand it, along with the betrothal rules, etc.
Even under the codified Canon Law in effect from late 12th Century until early 20th Century, there was a clause allowing prepubescent marriages...
From the Corpus Juris Canonici (Canon Law)
DECRETALS OF GREGORY IX
BOOK FOUR
TITLE II: Betrothals of Prepuescents
C.2
Two prepubescents, or a prepubescent and one older, are not to be married, except for the sake of peace.
Pope Nicholas.
Where there is no consent [cf. C. 30 q. 2 c. 1]. (And following:) By the authority of this decree, we strictly prohibit for the future that either or both, who have not arrived at the age determined by the laws or the canons, be joined in marriage; unless there is a very urgent need that the union be tolerated for the sake of peace.