Comarca Bajo Miño - History Lab

The evolution of generational demographic parameters in Southern Western Galicia (1584-1670)

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:28:40 +0000

The resource deals with the demographic evolution of four generations, looking at their family composition, number of families, ages of access to marriage and the duration of marriage, among other items, between 1584 and 1670. The geographical area is centred on the south of western Galicia, the Bajo Miño, through the study of the rural parish of San Martín de Caldelas; a North Atlantic demographic model marked by the late age of access to marriage for women (24.5 years), the low level of second marriages (16.7%) and the duration of marriage (25 years) which resulted in a duration of fertility for couples of 13.9 years. The intergenerational synthesis reflected in the resource is reflected in the exponential growth of the parish which, after 100 years, had to be remodelled to increase its capacity to welcome the faithful. The growth, according to the author’s study, was mainly due to the nuptiality; a framework of legitimised fecundity, and the low mortality of those born.

The post The evolution of generational demographic parameters in Southern Western Galicia (1584-1670) first appeared on History Lab.

Shaping the Demographic Parameters of the Differentiated Household in a North Atlantic Model (1584-1670)

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:28:40 +0000

Rural society in south-western Galicia, in the Bajo Miño region, was part of the North Atlantic demographic system. The study of the parish of San Martín de Caldelas, between 1584 and 1670, shows us the configuration of households according to their economic, material and status level within society: upper, middle and lower families. A first analysis reveals the predominance in number of the lower, more humble families. In these families, the average number of children per family was lower than in the middle and upper families, being 5.79, 7.67 and 6.6 respectively. Another significant difference is the age of entry into marriage, both for women and men, with the poorer families showing a tendency to delay entry due to a late exit from the family, while the upper families had a younger age of marriage for the male than the others. This age difference had an impact on the years of actual fertility, being higher in the more privileged families. The wide variety of information provided by the author helps us to understand the demographic dynamics of families; a structural issue for the analysis and explanation of the society of the Ancien Régime.

The post Shaping the Demographic Parameters of the Differentiated Household in a North Atlantic Model (1584-1670) first appeared on History Lab.

Hereditary model of the Lower Minho in the 18th century: Caldelas (Tuy)

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:28:40 +0000

The different hereditary models help to understand the different demographic models. In this case, the resource analyses the North Atlantic model through the parish of San Martín in Caldelas (Galicia). In the 18th century, in the low-Miñoto model, we do not find a first-born son empowered through inheritance, but a distribution of improvements that affects women more than men. The author highlights a distribution close to hereditary egalitarianism only modelled by small paternal compensations given in exchange for services rendered and to be rendered (38% of the cases) or foundation masses (33%). Consequently, family, social and demographic dynamics (such as migratory movements) favoured radical egalitarianism in the transmission of property.

The post Hereditary model of the Lower Minho in the 18th century: Caldelas (Tuy) first appeared on History Lab.

Family strategies of social groups. The case of Caldelas, Galicia (17th century)

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:28:40 +0000

The resource presents marriage strategies and social mobility in the Bajo Miño de Calderas region (Galicia) at the end of the 17th century. The author categorises family dynamics according to the social group to which the contracting members belonged. In this way, the families of the local elite show the most common techniques: marriage alliances linked to consanguinity, strong reproductive capacity and social success. Of the 23 elite families studied, 47% continued to maintain middle or higher status, although a significant number of offspring descended to lower families, 43%, reflecting downward social mobility. For their part, middle families followed the same trends as the upper families, albeit mitigating the impact of upward social destination. These two groups of the affluent fed off each other in social endogamy. Upward mobility was achieved by linking into middle-upper alliances; however, middle-lower marriages were a constant half of social reproduction. Lower families tended to maintain their stratum through social inbreeding relationships, with few but existing examples of upward mobility.

The post Family strategies of social groups. The case of Caldelas, Galicia (17th century) first appeared on History Lab.