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I recently discovered the marriage record for my 2x great-grandfather Luciano Mangani and his wife Giorgia Lio. (Although it appears her name on this record is written as Alio)
The record lists her age as 12 and consent was given. There's some information written on the bottom that I can't quite translate in full. I'm hoping there's some explanation as to why a 28 y/o married a 12 y/o but it was 1855 and the times were different. Can someone please help me?
As you say "consent was given", I guess what you can't translate is at the bottom of second page.
That just says that the spouses, their parents, and the witnesses, did not sign, as they were illiterate.
I'm not sure, but I think women could marry at 12, at that time, and difference of age was not given such importance as today. The "allegati" (listed) in second page don't seem to contain any paticulare document.
Giuseppe "Pippo" Moccaldi
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In 1855, the code of the two Sicilies was in effect in southern Italy and Sicily. A female could contract marriage at age 12 but needed parental consent until age 21. If her parents disagreed, the father's consent was sufficient.
The handwritten section on the first page just indicates that the spouses had the assistance of their parents-the groom of his and the bride of hers, and that the parents were appearing to give their formal consent to the marriage.
Thanks! Yes, I should have been more specific about which handwriting I was referring to. It was the paragraph on the first page starting with "Metti sposi", which I believe is what @erudita74 reviewed for me.
I think I was most surprised by the age difference between the groom and the bride. 12 seems awfully young to marry in any circumstances but it's made even worse because she was wed to a 28 year old. But as you both said - very different times!
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