Mercenary marriages: the dire effects of a dowry -

The custom of dowry—the payment, such as money or property, paid by a bride's family to a groom or his family at the time of marriage—is as ancient as it is controversial. Condemned in some quarters, dowry is nonetheless regarded as the norm in patrilineal cultures, where women are expected to reside with or near their husband's family. And in the 21st century, dowries continue to be expected and demanded as a condition to accept a marriage proposal. So, what are the origins of this centuries-old tradition, and how can it affect women?

Click through and find out more about the dowry system.

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What is a dowry? -

In some cultures, a dowry serves as a payment paid by the bride's family to the groom or his family at the time of marriage.

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Patrilineal society -

A dowry is most common in cultures that are strongly patrilineal. In other words, cultures that expect women to reside with or near their husband’s family.

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Bride price -

A dowry should not be confused with the related concept of bride price, or bride wealth. This describes a payment by the groom, or his family, to the bride, or her family.

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The dower -

Similarly, a dower is the property settled on the bride herself, by the groom at the time of marriage, and which remains under her ownership and control. A dower is often described as a widow's share for life of her husband's estate.

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Ancient custom -

Dowry is an ancient custom and has a long history in Europe, South Asia, Africa, and other parts of the world.

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The dowry in antiquity -

Dowry is described in the Code of Hammurabi, one of the earliest and most complete written legal records dating back to ancient Babylon in 1755 BCE, when both bride price and dowry auctions were practiced.

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Dowry in ancient Greece -

In ancient Greece, it was usual to give a bride price. Dowries only became commonplace in the 5th century BCE.

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Paying for protection -

Ominously, it was during this epoch that a dowry may also have served as a form of protection for the wife against the possibility of ill treatment by her husband and his family, thus providing an incentive for the husband not to harm his spouse.

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Dowry in the Roman Empire -

Dowry was a very common institution in Roman times. The bride's family was expected to contribute a share of the costs involved in setting up a new household.

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Middle Ages -

In medieval and Renaissance Europe, the dowry essentially served two purposes. Enhancing the desirability of a woman for marriage, the exchange of an often considerable sum of money helped build the power and wealth of great families. In some instances a substantial dowry even determined the frontiers and policies of states.

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Earning vast fortunes -

In fact, dowries for aristocratic and royal brides in Europe during the Middle Ages sometimes amounted to vast fortunes. The Portuguese crown, for example, gave two cities in India and Morocco as dowry to the British Crown in 1661 when King Charles II of England married Catherine of Braganza.

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Joining fee -

The Middle Ages also record in some instances nuns having to present a dowry when joining a convent.

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A less attractive proposition -

During the Ancien Régime in France, convents were also used by some shameless parents to place less attractive daughters so that prettier, more marriageable daughters could have larger dowries.

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Dowry in England -

Dowry was used in England as early as the 12th century, exemplified by coverture—where a married woman's legal existence was considered to be merged with that of her husband. By the Victorian era, dowries were viewed by some members of the upper class as an early payment of the daughter's inheritance.

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Obsolete custom -

The use of dowries became less commonplace in Europe in the 19th century.

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Mercenary marriage -

In the United States, the custom was hijacked somewhat by rich 19th-century industrialists during the Gilded Age who gave "dowries" to their daughters as incentives to marry European aristocrats who held a title but had little wealth. The idea was to combine affluence with social rank, which raised the status of both bride and groom. A notorious example of these so-called "mercenary marriages" was the arranged union between socialite Consuelo Vanderbilt and Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough.

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Outdated tradition -

By the 20th century in Europe, dowry had all but disappeared. Across the pond in the United States, the custom of buying a "dollar princess" had also become obsolete. But elsewhere in the world the dowry system still thrives.

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A controversial custom -

Dowry remains ubiquitous in several countries. India, however, remains the epicenter of dowry culture. This despite the fact that the payment of dowry has long been prohibited under specific Indian laws including the Dowry Prohibition Act 1961.

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A wedding gift? -

Dowry is mainly practiced among Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Jains. On the surface, dowries seem benign. Simply defined, they're wedding gifts, usually money from a bride's family paid to a groom's family to solidify a marriage.

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Financial burden -

But the dowry system can put great financial burden on the bride's family. Indeed, dowry per marriage often amounts to several years of household income and imposes a substantial hardship on girls' families.

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Prevalence of dowry -

According to a 2021 study undertaken by the World Bank, of 40,000 marriages that that took place in rural India between 1960 and 2008, dowry was paid in 95% of them.

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Possible consequences -

The dowry system in some cases can lead to crimes against women, ranging from emotional abuse to domestic violence and even death.

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Dowry scare -

According to a report by the Organization for World Peace, India's National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) recorded 13,534 dowry-related deaths in 2021.

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Child marriage -

To avoid larger dowries, families often marry their daughters off as children. The anti-child marriage nonprofit Girls Not Brides estimates that, globally, 700 million women alive today were married off when they were under 18.

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Protection from dowry harassment -

In India in 2005, the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act was passed. It added an additional layer of protection from dowry harassment.

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The custom of dower -

In other countries the custom of dower is practiced, a provision accorded traditionally by a husband or his family, to a wife for her support should she become widowed.

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Sin Sod -

The Thai dower system, which is more commonly known as Sin Sod, is deeply rooted in Thai culture. It serves as a way of honoring your bride's parents for raising their daughter well.

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Mahr -

The payment from the groom to the bride is a mandatory condition for all valid Muslim marriages. This obligation is met in the form of money of possessions.

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Baháʼí Faith -

In the Baháʼí Faith, the dower is paid from groom to bride. If the groom resides in a city, he must hand over approximately 2.2 troy ounces of gold. If he lives in a rural area, the price is the same amount in silver.

Sources: (History) (New Advent) (Global Citizen)(World Bank) (Organization for World Peace) (Girls Not Brides)

See also: The world's most incredible historic gold artifacts

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