Legal Definitions - mulierty

Mulierty

Mulierty is a historical term that refers to the condition of being a legitimate child, as opposed to being a bastard.

• John was born to married parents, so he enjoyed the status of mulierty.
• Elizabeth was born out of wedlock, so she was not considered to have mulierty.

The examples illustrate that mulierty was a way of distinguishing between children who were born to married parents and those who were not. In the past, being a legitimate child was important because it gave a person certain rights and privileges, such as inheritance and social status.