ItisnotoftenrealizedthatwomenheldahighplaceinsouthernEuropeansocietiesinthe10thand11thcenturies.Asawife,thewomanwasprotectedbythesettingupofadowry(彩礼).Admittedly,thepurposeofthiswastoprotectheragainsttheriskofdesertion,butinrealityitsfunctioninthesocialandfamilylifeofthetimewasmuchmoreimportant.Thedowrywasthewife’srighttoreceiveatenthofallherhusband’sproperty.Thewifehadtherighttowithholdconsent,inalltransactionsthehusbandwouldmake,andmorethanjustaright;thedocumentsshowthatsheenjoyedarealpowerofdecision,equaltothatofherhusband.Innocasedothedocumentsindicateanydegreeofdifferenceinthelegalstatusofhusbandandwife.
Thewifesharedinthemanagementofherhusband’spersonalproperty,buttheoppositewasnotalwaystrue.Womenseemedperfectlypreparedtodefendtheirowninheritanceagainsthusbandswhotriedtoexceedtheirrights,andonoccasiontheyshowedafinefightingspirit.AcaseinpointisthatofMariaVivas.HavingagreedwithherhusbandMirotosellafieldshehadinherited,fortheneedsofthehousehold,sheinsistedoncompensation.Nonebeingoffered,shesucceededindraggingherhusbandtothescribe(法学家)tohaveacontractdulydrawnupassigningherapieceoflandfromMiro’spersonalinheritance.Theunfortunatehusbandwasobligedtoagree,asthecontractsays,“forthesakeofpeace.”Eitherthroughthedowryorthroughbeinghot-tempered,thewifeknewhowtowinherself,withthecontextofthefamily,apowerfuleconomicposition.ricillnessesincludingdepressionoftendonotmanifestthemselvesuntilthelateteensorearly20s.