HIST 332 Chapter reading: Reading Brideprice, Dowry and other Marital Assigns
15 Jan 2019
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Document Summary
In the 11th and 13th centuries a husband"s gift to his wife was marking the formal consummation of a marriage, a gift from a bride"s family that was her inheritance. Marriage provided a transfer of family wealth in medieval times. In florence in the 15th century, most men still lived as sons, brothers, or distant relatives under someone else"s roof. This was a large pattern in southern europe. From the 6th to 10th century, the male dowry was a quarter of the family"s wealth given to a son when he was married so he could be able to sustain his new household. In other regions, different customs/laws specified a different portion for marrying the son, sometimes as much as 1/3 of the wealth of a family. The payment served as evidence for a valid marriage. A family"s distribution of wealth to their son promoted intermarriage.
