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Wives accompanying husbands to official functions

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snowybeagle View Drop Down
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  Quote snowybeagle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Wives accompanying husbands to official functions
    Posted: 30-Jul-2007 at 03:58
I suppose it was at different times in different countries, but outside of Europe and America, when did it become acceptable for wives to accompany their husbands to official (state) functions?
 
In traditional Asian societies in history, the wives of officials and businessmen (social elites) had their own gatherings and did not accompany their husbands to their husbands' functions.
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  Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-Jul-2007 at 05:44

Not true, wives have always since before the era of the Brits accompanied their husbands.

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  Quote Melisende Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-Jul-2007 at 07:56

Brings to mind the medieval "royal progress" in which the monarch toured the countryside with their spouse in tow.

"For my part, I adhere to the maxim of antiquity: The throne is a glorious sepulchre."
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  Quote Northman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-Jul-2007 at 09:27
Originally posted by Melisende

Brings to mind the medieval "royal progress" in which the monarch toured the countryside with their spouse in tow.
LOL
 
I have always followed two steps behind my wife to her official functions - in example when going to the grocery store, I follow two steps behind with the cart. Wink
 
On a more seriuos note - yes, wifes do follow their men here for official functions and always did - but men also followed their wifes in the same manner if she was the prominent character.
Also today, our queens consort, the former french diplomat HRH Prince Henri(k) walks two steps behind the Queen (but he is not quite happy about that Unhappy)
 
 


Edited by Northman - 30-Jul-2007 at 09:29
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  Quote snowybeagle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-Jul-2007 at 22:15
Originally posted by Sparten

Not true, wives have always since before the era of the Brits accompanied their husbands.
Really?
 
Which pre-British era maharaj state would that be in?
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  Quote Aster Thrax Eupator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01-Aug-2007 at 13:03
Look at some of the Ancient Assyrian (mainly Neo-Assyrian, but some middle Kingdom plaques) - the queen or a concubine of the imperial household is frequently present at an offical dinner or when the king recieves an envoy. Also, in the old Hittite empire, it was quite acceptable for the queen to pour libations to their gods with the king.
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  Quote snowybeagle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01-Aug-2007 at 22:09
Originally posted by Aster Thrax Eupator

Look at some of the Ancient Assyrian (mainly Neo-Assyrian, but some middle Kingdom plaques) - the queen or a concubine of the imperial household is frequently present at an offical dinner or when the king recieves an envoy. Also, in the old Hittite empire, it was quite acceptable for the queen to pour libations to their gods with the king.
Perhaps the queen due to the special status, but what about the wives of the officials?
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  Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02-Aug-2007 at 02:25
Originally posted by snowybeagle

Originally posted by Sparten

Not true, wives have always since before the era of the Brits accompanied their husbands.
Really?
 
Which pre-British era maharaj state would that be in?
sorry forgot about this thread, lets see, the Rajputs, the Mughals, the Khiljis etc.
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  Quote Aster Thrax Eupator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02-Aug-2007 at 15:50
Perhaps the queen due to the special status, but what about the wives of the officials?
 
Well, I'd be assuming that since many officals also had a religious capacity to cement their alliegence, their wives would share some of their responsabilities as well. Since many of these ancient societies used the idea of "collective responsability" to enforce law (If one member of a family commits a crime, all are responsable - which worked for most in a brutal kind of way...), I would imagine that these women would also need to uphold the honour of their familes and perhaps be a little pro-active.
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