Sometimes, especially with young girls. However, many wealthy women, whether widows or heiresses, took control of their own property and were quite independent.
Eleanor of Acquitaine is a good example, and she was an example for other women of her time: educated, cultured, and politically aspiring. Of course, sometimes it worked out and sometimes it didn't; Eleanor was under house arrest for a dozen years in her late middle-age.
An excellent source on this subject is Women in the Age of the Cathedrals, by Regine Pernoud.
Thank you. I must look that up to add to my medieval books collection. I have a “Reader”that has many original documents. Those on women were very sexist.
A favorite book I have is a day planner that was never used which is full of Romance writings (I call it my “dirty book.”) People think we’re obsessed with sex. They were, too. It was just more literary. I blushed while reading some of the poems.