Marriage (Teresa)

Egyptian Family

I am often surprised by people's response when they learn that I was once married to my father, my brother and my grandfather.  Up until recently, your scholars thought it was the royal women who carry the bloodlines in ancient Egypt.  Regardless, it is my responsibility as princess to marry the pharaoh or the pharaoh's successor.  By marring within my family, pharaoh's bloodline will remain pure and add strength to the line of succession.  You see, pharaohs rule by divine decree.  They are living gods, the personification of the king of gods AMUN-RA.  When they die, they became true gods.  Pharaohs have multiple wives and concubines in addition to the Great Royal Wife, or chief wife.  This actually allows pharaoh to enter into diplomatic marriages with the daughters of allies.  Marriage is handled very differently for those not of noble birth.  You see, men and women are free to marry whom ever they choose plus they are free to leave their spouse as well.

In general, everyone - men and women - of all social classes view marriage as normal and desirable.  Most men marry by the age of twenty-one and girls get married by the age of fifteen.  Usually, however, if there is an age difference, it is not more than two or three years.  The couple enter into a marriage contract that usually contains clauses like:
1) You are the sharer with my children already born and still to be born in all that I possess and that I shall acquire.
2) The children which you will bear to me are the sharers with my children in all that I posses and that I shall acquire.
3) One third of all that I possess and shall acquire belongs to you for the children you bear me.
4) The children which you will bear to me are the masters of all and everything that I possess and that I shall acquire.

In my time, marriages for anyone not of noble birth are monogamous.  People marry within their social class and they marry someone unrelated or no more closely related than cousin.  Men and women retain separate ownership of any property they brought into the marriage.  Either party can initiate a divorce and no reason has to be given.  Wives are generally entitled to a third of her husband's property when he dies.  Beyond that, men and women generally divide their estate among their children.