Attitudes to death are a reflection of the mentality of the time. Between 1601 and 1650, the 106 wills compiled by the author for the socio-professional group of servants in Salamanca give us a clear picture: the majority of servants were women (75% as opposed to 25% men). Despite the predominance of women, only 2.5% were able to sign, while in the male group this rises to 23%. Women were more likely to make offerings (47.5%), to leave their master as executor (57.7%) and their soul as heir (57.5%). The deep religiosity that permeated Ancien Régime society was also evident among male servants. Indeed, up to 38.5% offered their inheritance to their soul to ensure their welfare beyond the earthly life through masses and offices for the souls. It was also common for them to ask to be accompanied at their funeral by a clergyman or by a religious institution, such as the confraternities.

Collection: Statistics

Project: 3. Rural world and urban world in the formation of the European identity., 4. Family, daily life and social inequality in Europe.

Chronology: XVII

Scope: Secondary Education, Baccalaureate, University

Link: https://revistas.usal.es/index.php/Studia_Historica/article/view/7765/7821

Resource type: Statistics

Format: TablTablea

Source: Lorenzo Pinar, F. J. (2009). "Los criados salmantinos durante el siglo XVII (1601-1650): conflictividad social y actitudes ante la muerte (II)", en Studia Historica, vol. 31, p. 292.

Language: Spanish

Date: 2009

Owner: Pablo Ballesta Fernández (Modernalia)

Copyright: ©Studia Historica ©Francisco Javier Lorenzo Pinar

Abstract: Resource showing the mentality of the Salamanca servants on their deathbed according to the sex of the testators

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