Gifts and Trousseaus at Home: Muslim Marriages in Fifteenth Century Castille

Abstract

Through the analysis of an Arabic legal document, this work studies the system of marriage transfer of property as it was established among the Castilian mudejars in fifteenth century, especially in the city of Burgos, as compared with Nasrid Granada and Christian Castille, while opening new possibilities for research into both legal and ceremonial systems. Our further study on the wedding celebrations allowed us to better understand the spaces for sociability, focusing on the bridal room, a space -maybe in the house of the new family-, where the several objects, equipment and adornments exchanged in the marriage were exposed publicly. They were also dressed and used by the bride in the passage to her new life. This work includes the edition and translation into Spanish of the original marriage contract.