Rosie Diamond's Profile

Women had little or no role to play within the country at
large.

However, they were paid less for doing the same job

In medieval
towns, women would have found it difficult to advance into a trade as medieval
guilds frequently barred women from joining
them.

The law, set by men, also
greatly limited the freedom of women. Women were

not allowed
to marry without their parents' consent

could own
no business with special permission

not allowed
to divorce their husbands

could not
own property of any kind unless they were widows

could not
inherit land from their parents' if they had any surviving brothers

Many women from
rich backgrounds would have married when they were teenagers.

Girls from richer
families tended to marry earlier than girls from poor families.

for a rich family. Girls had no choice over who they married and many girls from
rich families were usually married to someone as a political gesture or because
it was an advantage to the girl's family itself - as opposed to what the girl
herself wanted. Once married, the young lady came under the control of her
husband.

Sumptuary laws might apply to food, beverages, furniture, jewelry and clothing. These Laws were used to control behaviour and ensure that a specific class structure was maintained.

These Sumptuary Laws distinguished seven social categories and made members of each class easily distinguished by their clothing.