The Bridal Dowry
The idea of the dowry system goes back a long way - so far that we don't really know where it began. The bridal dowry remain common in some parts of the world and in certain religious and social systems.
What Is A Dowry?
A dowry was the wealth brought into a new marriage by the bride. This could either be in the form of cash, goods or property and was usually provided by the bride's father. Negotiations over the exact level of dowry for a particular marriage could be complex, there was no standard sum.
To our modern Western sensibilities the dowry system seems an unpleasant sexist concept - the groom being paid to take away the woman, who is implicitly labelled a burden. However it made sense in earlier
societies where (rightly or wrongly) the man was the breadwinner and the woman stayed at home. The newly married couple would require some resources to start their life together. Since
the man would be going out to work it was seen as fair that the woman should bring something to the table, hence the dowry. The larger the difference in social
standing between the husband and wife the larger the dowry was likely to be.
No Dowry
Not all families were able to afford large dowries, some simply refused to provide thm because they disapproved of the marriage. This is said to have been the origin of the bridal shower; in the absence of a dowry from the bride's father, her friends would all contribute to make up the necessary pot.
Providing a dowry for poor brides was also sometimes indulge din by the wealthy as a form of charity. It's said the Saint Nicholas gave golden dowry money to three
sisters. The money was wrapped in stockings, leading the our modern Christmas stocking tradition.