Women’s Legal Status In Anglo-Saxon Period

From the 5th century to 1066,the legal status of British women was greatly improved,and even continued to a century and a half after the Norman Conquest.In the early stage,women were basically under strict guardianship,or paternal or husband relatives;By the late Anglo Saxon period,women’s legal status had been greatly improved in terms of marriage,family,inheritance,criminal responsibility and litigation status,and these advanced systems and ideas had a far-reaching impact on future generations.In the Anglo Saxon period,women’s property rights,personal rights and other rights were protected to a certain extent.Even compared with the legal rights of women in the middle ages,they also had their unique advantages.By combing a dynamic change of women’s legal status in the whole Anglo Saxon period,this paper analyzes women’s legal status at that time from multiple angles.At the same time,it also summarizes the characteristics and influencing factors of women’s legal status in this period,so as to build the whole style of women’s legal status in Anglo Saxon period as far as possible.The background of British history and relevant laws in this period not only pave the way for the later discussion,but also provide historical data support for the later text.During this period,there were many Germanic kingdoms,and women’s legal status was deeply affected by the times and social production,showing a strong class nature,but at the same time,it also had the characteristics of relative independence,especially in the late Anglo Saxon period.Social class,marital status and the introduction and development of Christianity were important factors affecting women’s legal status in this period.Starting from the specific legal provisions and legal practice,this paper describes and discusses the general situation,development and changes of women’s legal status in this period from the perspectives of marriage,family,inheritance,criminal responsibility and litigation status.Compared with the relatively limited legal status of women in the early Anglo Saxon period,women in the late Anglo Saxon period have greater choice in marriage,more control over property,and more inheritance rights such as real estate.The custody of widows is often in the hands of the king or the church.Due to the "distance" of the exercise of custody,widows have broader rights than unmarried or married women.In terms of criminal responsibility,women are significantly more punished than men in sex related crimes such as adultery.During this period,the litigation rights of women in the upper class could also be protected with the assistance of male relatives or friends.Christianity made a major contribution to the promotion of women’s legal status in this period.In addition,the comprehensive social development and the ideological characteristics of Germanic national group standard in this period were also important factors contributing to the relatively high legal status of women in this period.Of course,the legal status of women in this period is still affected by the degree of social development,which is limited and hierarchical.Generally speaking,women’s legal status was gradually improved throughout the Anglo Saxon period.The provisions on women’s legal status in this period had a far-reaching impact on the provisions on women’s legal status after Anglo Saxon,and also provided an important reference for the formation of the concept of women’s rights in later generations.