How could divorce affect a husband financially under Germanic law?

Under Germanic law, marriage often involved the husband paying a bride-price, which evolved into a fund held by the husband for the wife's benefit. While a husband possessed the authority to divorce his wife at will, he faced potential financial penalties for doing so.1

These financial consequences were rooted in the structure of the marriage, where the husband acted as the guardian of the wife under the mund (guardianship) system. By initiating a divorce, the husband risked losing the funds or assets associated with the marriage settlement, serving as a deterrent against arbitrary dissolution of the union.1