Which brides 300 years ago Russian grooms considered the best, and which girls did not marry

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

To remain unmarried was the worst misfortune for a girl in Russia. In the old days, choosing a bride was approached very carefully, and getting married was much more difficult than today. In addition to external data, there were many criteria by which the suitors chose their chosen one. To be an enviable bride, one had to possess many skills, although even this did not guarantee a successful marriage.

Graceful and pale or blood and milk?

When they talk about Russian girls, many imagine a puffy, strong girl with a blush on her cheeks. This is how we often see them in old paintings and photographs. Yes, the hard work on the land, which most of the peasants were engaged in, was beyond the power of the pampered and weak.

When the time came to marry, men tried to choose a stout girl as their wife. Do not confuse stoutness with being overweight. Active, with developed muscles and a good complexion - this is the ideal of the Russian bride, who had to work in the house, in the garden, in the field, spin and weave, give birth to children and take care of them. A thin and weak girl would hardly have been able to cope with all matters, because in those days there were no washing machines, irons, diapers, sewing machines and other "simplifiers" of everyday life.

In addition to the ability to work, grooms were also interested in the ability to bear children. Everyone was afraid to marry in a skyscraper, as they called a woman who could not bear children. According to observations, severe thinness could mean problems with the birth of a baby. A narrow pelvis often led to the death of mother and child, since the level of medicine was far from modern. But the meaning of marriage is heirs, procreation, a barren family was considered cursed by God. So the parents had to fatten their daughters in order to marry and "confuse" the head of the matchmaker who examined the bride.

Thin and weak girls were more likely to get sick. Consumption (the popular name for pulmonary tuberculosis) one of the symptoms had a strong weight loss. And one more important point - the skinny girl in most cases was from a poor family, where it was not possible to provide her with high-quality and high-calorie food. Who needs a poor man?

The girls who had birthmarks on their bodies were also unlucky. Today this spicy mole is considered an individual decoration, and earlier it would have been called a mark of evil spirits.

Forget grooms

The homeless women had a low chance of getting married. The amount of the dowry was of great importance for attracting suitors - the more expensive, the better. They did not make secrets from the dowry, on the contrary, they talked about it with pride, trying in every possible way to fill the price for the bride. The prosperity of the family depended on what exactly would be offered to a potential groom. Poor families collected clothes, dishes, linen, tablecloths, curtains. The wealthy families added money and jewelry to this.

While the bride was growing up, the dowry was waiting in the wings in the chest. With the development of society, it was gradually replaced by money, heirlooms, real estate. A bride whose dowry was rich could count on an equally rich husband. However, very often parents tried to marry their daughter for a noble person, not paying attention to his financial situation. A simple girl with a good dowry and a noble, but poor groom - this is a vivid example of the unity of wealth and title.

Over-olds and centuries-olds

Today hardly anyone would think of considering an eighteen-year-old girl old for marriage. And in the old days, when they could get married even at the age of 12, they would call her an overdone, and the matchmakers would not want to deal with her. If no one asked to marry, you see, she is too picky, or she has a bad character. It is known that Princess Martha Mezentsova paid incredibly large for those times - five hundred rubles - compensation to the groom, and all so that he would marry her granddaughter, Princess Avdotya, who was famous for her absurd disposition.

A girl who could not find a husband for herself became a century-old, gray-haired head, unstoppable hair - such unpleasant nicknames in Russia were given to old maidens.

Since 1775, by a synod's decree, the age of those entering into marriage was legally established: girls could get married from the age of 16, and young men could get married from the age of 18. Without parental consent, the couple could not tie the knot.

Do you want to get married - study

The first decree that brides and grooms should have at least some kind of education was issued by Peter I at the beginning of the 18th century. There were no special requirements for girls, but they should know the letter. The bride had to be able to write her last name, otherwise “she would not be allowed to marry”. In 1714, the decree on the uneducated forbade the marriage of noble children who did not have a minimum of knowledge.

Representatives of different classes could be in love relationships, but marriages between them were frowned upon. The culturologist V. Baidin noted in his book "Woman in Ancient Rus" that servant or peasant women, with the most favorable outcome, could be considered "minorities", in fact, concubines or second wives. At the same time, the relationship was declared inconsistent with church regulations.

Differences in class statuses led to the fact that love affairs remained "tricks" that did not lead to marriage. Although a commoner wife could marry a nobleman and receive a title. Today it is impossible to say how frequent marriages were, such as the one between Count Sheremetev and serf actress Kovaleva-Zhemchugova.

Serve God - Don't Get Married

Women went to the monastery both of their own free will and as punishment for any offense. Tsarevna Sophia, sister of Peter I, his first wife Evdokia Lopukhina, Solomonia Saburova, wife of Grand Duke Vasily III - these are just some of the women who were exiled to the monastery.

Voluntary withdrawal was widely practiced. For example, the Monk Efrosinya of Polotsk incapacitated herself to Christ.

The reasons that pushed women to such an act could be different - from frantic faith to trying to hide from some problems. But in any case, leaving for a monastery and replacing the joys of worldly life with prayers and a reclusive life, this category of girls dropped out of the "base" of brides.

Modern brides are not afraid to experiment with wedding dresses. Up to the point that potential suitors can just run away from the wedding.