Fantasy Guide to Illegitimate Children
I often get asks about illegitimate children and what their lives would be like in a typical fantasy setting. In many cultures, to be born or to have a child out of the bounds of marriage, it is extremely taboo and can result in some social ostracism while in others, it isn't seen as a very big deal and illegitimate children could rise to places of power.
Double-Standards
All illegitimate children are born outside marriage but not all illegitimate children are made equally. Most of the time, illegitimate children born to the poor can experience worse treatment by their community. If they are born to an unwed mother or a mother who gave birth to them outside of marriage, their mother may be denied services in the community such as housing and employment and be shunned publicly. A royal or noblewoman would also face the same scrutiny and be shunned from all high society and may even be imprisoned or executed. They faced more dangerous circumstances if they were married, mainly because they have put the succession of their children into question which could be grounds to disinherit their other children which could lead to larger issues. However, the father of an illegitimate children would likely not face too much scrutiny. While frowned upon, especially if he has quite a few illegitimate children and/or doesn't support them. A nobleman or royal father could father children without too much scrutiny, again in moderation.
Child Support
Illegitimate Children were not equal to legitimate children in a good many Western Cultures. In most cultures of the west, illegitimate children were not entitled to anything their parents owned or could lay claim to and if on the off-chance they were to inherit, it is only when all illegitimate claimants are out of the picture. Illegitimate children of royals or nobles were not in line for titles, crowns and lands - in fact, they were only provided for when their father wanted to. When the father did, he could see that they were educated, treated almost the same as his legitimate children - a good many illegitimate royals could count themselves in for a Dukedom or Earldom, with a fine marriage in the future and a lot of wealth and position (especially if the mother is also aristocratic). A poorer father might offer the mother up-keep for herself and the child but again, this is his own choice and he may not offer support. However, in other cultures, an illegitimate child could receive the same if not better treatment than their legitimate siblings. In the Ottoman Empire, a Sultan was expected to father children with women of the harem, who he was not married to in order to sire the next generation of royal heirs. The daughters born of these unions were often married to high ranking advisors and court and granted education and luxury like that of royal princesses while sons were often granted fine educations and later in life, provinces to reign over. Under Ancient Hindu Laws, children could inherit from their mothers and depending on circumstances their fathers. In China and Japan, while children born to concubines with all the same honours as legitimate children they weren't ostracised and were often raised with many of the same luxuries and amenities.
Prospects
An illegitimate child may not be on the same equal footing as their legitimate counterparts but that doesn't mean they are blocked from every good thing about life. They could be educated, they could marry well, they could rise high in society but their birth status may still be used against them. They may be believed to carry some stigma, be seen as dishonest or more inclined to act a certain way - which is all bullshit but the village is going to judge regardless. Illegitimate children born into higher ranking families might gain high positions of power, receiving high military positions or advisory positions at court to support their siblings. They may even marry to improve their family's status, with illegitimate royals even marrying other royals or nobles.
Relationships
Illegitimate children may have close relationships with their parents but that depends on the relationship between their parents and whether they have any contact with them. Illegitimate children may be raised alongside their legitimate siblings in order to foster good relationships between the siblings. Illegitimate children might have good relations with their step-parents but this is up to the step-parent. Some step-parents refuse to have the illegitimate child. An aristocratic father might set up his illegitimate child on an estate with a household of their own. Depending on the circumstances of their birth, their extended families may accept them as relatives or reject them.
Legitimization
I often get hypothetical questions on what happens when a royal or noble illegitimate child gets legitimized. Legitimization is when the illegitimate child is made legitimate by decree. This is usually through four ways: the parents marry and the legitimization is retroactive (this isn't always accepted), the illegitimate child is legitimized by the crown, or by religious authority or the government passes a bill of legitimization. However, this doesn't mean the child has all the rights of a legitimate child. Some royal or noble children could inherit but usually only after their legitimate siblings, nieces and nephews. Sometimes they are entitled to use certain styles and titles, they may be allowed to call themselves Prince/Princess or the courtesy title of their parents. However, legitimization is usually only carried out when there is either a deficit of legit heirs or enough of a surplus that legitimizing an illegitimate child is almost no danger. Most royals and nobles don't opt to legitimize their offspring in order to ensure the succession is protected and the overall peace preserved.
