this post was submitted on 31 May 2025
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[–] dustyData@lemmy.world 2 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

In general, no. It was a business transaction and whoever provided an appropriate dowry would get the girl. No matter their future prospects. The family didn't care much for whatever happened to the girl afterwards. High class and nobility might've care for prestige and title inheritance. But otherwise it didn't matter. We got so many historical novels with the plot point of a girl marrying a destitute nobleman and being abandoned by her original family that it is sort of a trope in the romantic period. Girl being sold by bankrupt father to save on food with one less mouth to feed was also a trope. You have to remember women weren't valued much beyond their capacity of bearing children. They were little more than cattle for most western feudal societies.