Estrategias de reproducción - History Lab

Average value of marriage dowries by artisan guilds. Albacete, 1646-1760.

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:29:31 +0000

The matrimonial dowry was an amount of movable or immovable property that the woman had to contribute to the marriage. It was a way of transmitting property between families, giving rise to a marriage market that sought consolidation or social advancement. This reproduction strategy was used by lineages and tended towards endogamy between the different social groups. The value of dowries was a reflection of the family’s economic situation: the higher the dowry, the wealthier the family that provided it. Consequently, the study of dowries can determine the material conditions of households according to their economic activity. An example of this is the city of Albacete. Between 1646 and 1760, within the group of artisans, the dowry could vary significantly according to the branch of production carried out. Thus, while the average value of the dowry for espadrille makers was 1,211 reales, that of boilermakers rose to 9,185 reales. Blacksmiths, hairdressers, weavers, riggers and carpenters were in the middle bracket, with figures ranging between 4,000 and 5,000 reais. The coveted trade of coppersmith is a reflection of the fact that the social prestige, material work and economic status of this group meant a good opportunity for a profitable marriage.

The post Average value of marriage dowries by artisan guilds. Albacete, 1646-1760. first appeared on History Lab.

Inheritance of free goods to the sons of the León nobility (Aldermen of the city of León)

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:28:33 +0000

The transmission of property through inheritance was one of the most effective family policies for laying the foundations of social reproduction. The Castilian inheritance system provided the testator with the flexibility to distribute his property equally or to accumulate in one individual a large part of the estate to be inherited. However, the form of inheritance was closely related to the amount of assets at the testator’s disposal. In the case of the noble rulers of the city of León, the sons received 82.4% of the total amounts transmitted by the legitimate; the remaining 17.6% was destined to improvements. Within the improvements, the Quinto de mejora and the Tercio de libre disposición went to a single heir. Although with modest amounts, the Leonese nobility tended to prioritise the unequal transmission of the property, favouring a first-born to avoid its atomisation. The present resource is a sample of the social practices and the differentiated mentality, with a material basis, which was rooted in the different social profiles.

The post Inheritance of free goods to the sons of the León nobility (Aldermen of the city of León) first appeared on History Lab.

Amount in reals of free goods transmitted to the children of the León nobility according to gender

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:28:33 +0000

The resource deals with the hereditary strategy of the town councillors of the city of León during the 18th and half of the 19th century. The author shows how a first-born child, male or female, was favoured to the detriment of the other offspring. Thus, we can see that the amounts of free designation received by the lucky ones could be up to three times that of the rest of the siblings. However, in most cases, the amounts of difference were modest: with the legitimate share balanced, the free disposal assets hardly represented a significant contribution.

The post Amount in reals of free goods transmitted to the children of the León nobility according to gender first appeared on History Lab.