Legal Definitions - gamalis

Gamalis is a historical legal term that refers to a child considered legitimate based on the marital status of their parents at the time of their birth.

Historically, this term applied in two primary situations:

• A child born when their parents were legally married.
• A child born to parents who were formally engaged or betrothed to be married, even if the marriage ceremony had not yet taken place.

Here are some examples to illustrate the concept of gamalis:

• Example 1 (Child born in lawful wedlock):

  Imagine a couple, Robert and Maria, who were legally married in 2010. Their daughter, Isabella, was born in 2012. In historical legal contexts, Isabella would be considered a gamalis.

  This example illustrates the first meaning of gamalis because Isabella was born while her parents were in a lawful and recognized marriage. Her legitimacy was unquestioned under this definition, granting her full rights of inheritance and status.

• Example 2 (Child born to betrothed but unmarried parents):

  Consider a scenario where Elizabeth and William were formally betrothed, meaning they had publicly committed to marry and had entered into a binding engagement agreement, but their wedding ceremony was still several months away. Unexpectedly, Elizabeth gave birth to their son, Thomas, before the wedding could take place. Historically, Thomas would be considered a gamalis.

  This example demonstrates the second meaning of gamalis. Despite his parents not yet being legally married, their formal betrothal was sufficient to confer legitimacy upon Thomas, granting him rights similar to a child born within wedlock, due to the binding nature of the engagement.