She could even sell it without consulting him. During the High Middle Ages, sons who married while their parents were still living gave their wives dowers which consisted of part of the family common property. The common law allowed for one third to one half of an estate to be given to a widow, yet a peasant widow usually received an even bigger cut. Upon her death, a widow's dower reverted back to the husband's family. The cornerst one of marriage was the exchange of dowers and dowries .
Experts agree that dowers more than matched the value of dowries.
The dower differs from the dowry, which is the sum of money or property given to the groom from the bride's family, which could comprise her share of the inheritance.