Marriage seen through notarial acts

Four example contracts illustrate aspects of marriage and dowry.

  1. The marriage contract of Gaetana Allegro and Giuseppe Covini made in 1731, shows the structure of such notarial acts and includes images of the actual document.
  2. An act of protest made by two sisters defying their father who wishes to disinherit them over their choice of husbands, illustrates the legal protection given to adult offspring against their guardians in the case of marriage.
  3. Eleanora Galotto needed permission from the royal court to use her dowry property as security on a loan. This act indicates some of the protections that surrounded dowry property.
  4. Should a dowry not be paid as agreed, the husband could make a formal protest against the dowry givers. In this case he is also demanding his wife!
  5. Some general information about notaries acts and using them in research.

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