Exploitation of Women and Land Seizure in Norman England

In this unequal structure, even if you managed to avoid street violence, women and girls of marriageable age would still be exploited in their own homes. Marriage to wealthy women was an easy way for the Normans to acquire land. The seizure of women through marriage allowed them to legally seize lands. Whether the women wanted it or not, they were forced to marry men chosen by their fathers or surviving male relatives, who took orders from their new Norman lords. Even if they still had their English landlords, they had to pay hefty fees to keep their land. This was like being charged by a foreign government for the price of your own house just to keep paying the mortgage. These fees were brutal, with some exceeding Abbott brand's penalty of 120 years of wages. Others were not hit as hard as brand.