Mercheta mulierum
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There are good search engines on the internet. If you use one of them to search for "Mercheta Mullierum" you will find the information you are looking for. I am not going to do it for you this time.
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When you have found the meaning, pars, please post it here for the benefit of other students who might be curious.
I'd still like to know the context in which you found it.
I'd still like to know the context in which you found it.
pars
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Hi!
I found it. Mercheta mulierum was a custom, according to which, brides, at the first night of their marriage belonged to the governor, lord and such a people. (In persian we colled the "Kalle Gonde" meaning "big head" a term for all high ranks people who have dominant power.
Thanks very much.
I found it. Mercheta mulierum was a custom, according to which, brides, at the first night of their marriage belonged to the governor, lord and such a people. (In persian we colled the "Kalle Gonde" meaning "big head" a term for all high ranks people who have dominant power.
Thanks very much.
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Skrej
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Pars, I think you're referring to a different custom.
The idea of the bride's first marriage night being spent with the local lord was referred to as Prima Nocta. (There was bizarrely a reference to this in Avengers Age of Ultron, during the scene where the Avengers try lifting Thor's hammer)
My understanding of mercheta mulierum is that it's more of a marriage tax, paid to the local lord. Somewhat akin to a dowry, but paid to the local lord instead of the husband.
If you look at the Latin, mercheta is: (source cited in link)
"A fine payable by a villein for license to give his daughter in marriage| and in Scotland at his own marriage." (A villein is a type of feudal tenant in Medieval England.)
Mulierum is of course the Latin accusative of mulier - 'woman' or 'wife'.
So it's something like 'wife license fee/fee'.
The idea of the bride's first marriage night being spent with the local lord was referred to as Prima Nocta. (There was bizarrely a reference to this in Avengers Age of Ultron, during the scene where the Avengers try lifting Thor's hammer)
My understanding of mercheta mulierum is that it's more of a marriage tax, paid to the local lord. Somewhat akin to a dowry, but paid to the local lord instead of the husband.
If you look at the Latin, mercheta is: (source cited in link)
"A fine payable by a villein for license to give his daughter in marriage| and in Scotland at his own marriage." (A villein is a type of feudal tenant in Medieval England.)
Mulierum is of course the Latin accusative of mulier - 'woman' or 'wife'.
So it's something like 'wife license fee/fee'.
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In BrE, I have heard the French term droit du seigneur used for this- possibly a result of the Norman invasion.
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