12023-02-08T14:04:08-08:00Sue Luftscheinc3da4f338cfb5c3d980919bd84c8fb083c380bd64239234plain13471772023-03-01T17:58:04-08:00Sue Luftscheinc3da4f338cfb5c3d980919bd84c8fb083c380bd6Unlike other countries in Europe, France had relatively loose inheritance laws. Women could inherit property even if a male heir were living. This meant that widows of printers could inherit their husbands' businesses even if they had a son. Parisian laws allowed for community property, and although inheritance laws stipulated that the deceased's property would be divided up amongst widows and surviving children, the widow occupied the primary spot and therefore could become the head of household. As a result, widows like Yolande Bonhomme and Charlotte Guillard were able to preside over the printing businesses of their deceased husbands. However, women were unable to act as printers on their own; they could only do so as the widow of a printer, i.e., after inheriting the business, and only as a widow could they print under their own names. If they remarried, they would be forced to use their new husband's name. If they remarried someone outside of the trade, they were no longer allowed to operate the business. As a result, widows in Paris were encouraged to either remarry a printer, or to remain single in order to continue to operate their businesses.