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(and where appropriate the title that went with it). The dower became more and more restricted over time during the later Middle Ages, until they were finally abolished and became more of a symbol. This helped to stop the dispersal of the estates outside the original family. Another important factor in the growing emphasis on male primogeniture was the forming of political alliances through marriages. When arranged marriages became increasingly important as a tool in the political formation of Europe, high social status by birth (and the benefits it brought along) was considered a powerful assset. But many noblewomen were not passive spectators, though the emphasis on the male line of descent meant that their financial and political activities of more and more depended on their male relatives: husband, father, sons, brothers. In many cases, however, the noblewoman was not completely subsumed in the families of her male relatives. There is evidence that noblewomen continued to use the seals, surnames and titles that was theirs by right of birth even after getting married. In my own family tree I have found several examples of the importance of the role of noblewomen. In some cases on eof my ancestors married a lady from another important noble family, and this was recorded as a significant financial and political alliance. In other cases a lady from our family had a successful career of her own (e.g. as Abbess of a convent). In many cases the coat-of-arms of a 上一页 [1] [2] [3] 下一页 |
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