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What property rights did women have in the feudal system?

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Final answer:

In the feudal system, women's property rights were often limited, particularly after marriage, due to the legal principle of coverture. Single women and widows had more rights, including property ownership and management.

Step-by-step explanation:

During the feudal system, property rights for women varied significantly based on their marital status, local customs, and specific time period. Generally, while single women could own property and had some degree of legal autonomy, these rights were often severely restricted once a woman married.

Under the doctrine of coverture, a married woman's legal identity was subsumed under her husband's, meaning her property and income became his. The husband could manage–and benefit from–his wife's property, though he typically could not sell it without her consent. Moreover, husbands were entitled to their wives' wages if they worked outside the home.

It is important to note that these practices were not uniform across all societies or time periods within the feudal era, and other cultures had different laws and customs regarding women's property rights. For example, in Han China, the property rights of women were more recognized and upheld in both law and society.

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