In my master's thesis, I compared and analyzed dowries and marriage contracts in the Adriatic region during the 13th and 14th centuries. I specifically focused on Istria and Dalmatia, and for comparison, I also included Venetian practices and laws related to dowries. My work primarily dealt with the statutes and notarial books of Dalmatian and Istrian towns, as well as with existing research. The concept of dowry in the Middle Ages varied from region to region, even from town to town. Generally, a dowry consisted of property given upon marriage, most often including money, movable goods (infra domus), and less frequently, real estate such as houses, vineyards, and gardens. For the medieval society of the northern Adriatic, dowries had three main purposes, which did not always exist simultaneously: they could serve as a means of transferring part of the inheritance to the daughter, provide social security for women, or serve as a resource for the husband’s new business ventures. Depending on the time and place, it varied to whom the dowry belonged and to what extent a person could dispose of the property. De facto, the dowry was usually managed by the husband. On the other hand, women’s business freedom often coincided with the social need for women’s work. Thus, women in Piran and Istria, who married under the principle "as brother and sister," generally had a better position than women in Dalmatian towns and Venice.
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