Decree of Sodality

The Decree of Sodality is one of the most important laws in Lithmorran history, giving women the right to inherit alongside me.

History
Prior to 275 SC, only males had the legal right to inherit their family's wealth and titles. What's more, it was common practice to name all worthy male heirs as inheritants. While this tradition was seen as being very equitable, it was in practice problematic: over the years, wealth and property had dwindled as they had been dispersed through too many generations of heirs. What's more, any attempt to limit the number of heirs often was met with offense in the best of cases, infighting in the worst.

King Bran issued the Decree of Sodality partially in response to this crisis and partially out of personal sentiment. The King loved and respected his wife dearly and believed that women were&nbsp frequently better at domestic affairs than men. He issued this decree unilaterally and - unsurprisingly - met strong resistance.

The nobles were divided on the issue: on the one hand, they detested being told what to do and disliked the power given to women, but an end to the squabbling over inheritance was a relief. Some accepted it peacefully, but certain others rose up, particularly in rigid and traditional Vavard. King Bran, however, was politically astute: he knew that the Knights of the Chalice (now the Knights Lithmorran), who could not pass along their titles nor inherit from their parents, were altogether indifferent to the matter of inheritance, and so the core of his army remained loyal. Combined with mercenaries purchased with the ample Lithmorran treasury, Bran's army was quite powerful, and more than enough to quash the expected revolts.

Vavard, of course, always looking for an excuse to secede from Lithmore's rule, immediately declared the new law only applied to Lithmorran nobles and not Vavardi merchant princes who had no nobility through kingly writ. This mistake was quickly rectified once King Bran settled the dispute at home by the installment of Duke Sivernus dul Acris by decree. Sivernus, Bran's well-born and shrewd Vavardi steward, was ennobled due to his loyalty as much as his connections within the Great Merchant Families of Vavard.

Women's Rights
It wasn't until the year of 276 that the first movements to grant equal rights to women appeared. Lead by Queen Caterana, Bran's wife was so popular and well loved that, despite her gender, all were glad to have her named co-ruler. This, however, was the start of a major societal revolution. Working tirelessly at King Bran's side, she earned the respect of both the peasantry and nobles alike. This first step opened the door for others.

A case in a lower court of the Reeves about seven years after Caterana ab Harmon de Montford became queen involved the rights of an ale wife's daughter to inherit her family's lace over her younger brother. The ale wife had written a will with the help of a scribe and sealed with a magister's seal, and her husband had died seven years before. The daughter was to receive the lace, according to the will, but at such a fetching value, the younger brother would not let it go. The Reeves wished to refuse to allow the girl to bring suit, due to her gender, as her mother had cleverly failed to mention the existence of a younger son when the will was written, and the Magistrate's seal was squarely and obviously affixed to the offending document. During the deliberations, Bran sent a mandate to the court. It read: Hear ye, subjects of the Lithmorran Realm. We            have heard of the case of Emaliya Millson, and feel that this matter offends the senses of Our noble honor. Be it known that a woman's            complaint has equal standing to that of a man in the Eye of Justice. As women must obey the law, she too may invoke the law in her own defense. As the Lord of the Springs allows women to His court, so too shall worldly men imitate Him, and allow women to Ours. --Signed and Sealed on this day, Midweek, Time of Thaw 282 King Bran & Queen Caterana This was the first document known to have been signed by the queen, but it would not be the last. Though the trial was dismissed after pending for eight years, as Emaliya's younger brother died of a festered wound gained during a farming accident in the fields. Seemingly doomed to die in obscurity, it is said that the Poet Laudate was sympathetic, and ensured that news of the trial and the King and Queen's letter reached every ear that could hear and no few that couldn't. Though uncommon at first, soon women would bring their complaints to the courts with the same ease as a man, though it's said that several Reeves were stripped of their authority and a few even imprisoned for failure to obey the king's writ.

The queen, however, by signing the mandate with her husband, also grew in power. By her husband's own hand, he had declared her his equal in matters of state. Though many resisted they changes, their protests actually served to enforce the equality of women as Caterana was forced time and time again to reassert her authority. Her husband, King Bran, never waivered in his support of his beloved queen, and each attempt to curb her authority was ruthlessly rooted out and ended. By the year 286 SC, women were able to hold offices of high authority as well as own their own property. Men could no longer speak for them in any matter that they did not themselves authorize in writing, and could not be barred from any proceeding of a Crown sponsored body based upon their gender.

At this time, women are generally accepted as equals amongst the younger people of the kingdom, but elders sometimes retain their dubious views about the new roles and power that women have been granted by the previous king and queen. Many elderly women can tell their daughters of what it was like to live without their own authority, solely on the generosity of a man.