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History of Wills, Testators and Their Families in Late Medieval Krakow
Tools of Power
Series: - Later Medieval Europe, Volume: 23
Author:
This volume offers the first comprehensive analysis of wills in late medieval Krakow. It presents the origins of testamentary acts in the Kingdom of Poland and its centre, Krakow, and their subsequent transformation from so called âcanonical willsâ to âcommunal willsâ. WysmuÅek discusses the socio-cultural role of wills and sets them in their contemporary legal, social, and economic context. In doing so, he uncovers their influence on property ownership and family relations in the city, as well as on the religious practices of the burghers. Ultimately, this work seeks to change the perception of wills by treating the testamentary act itself as an important agent of historical social change â a âtool of powerâ.
Jakub WysmuÅek, Ph.D., (2013), University of Warsaw, is a historian and sociologist at the Institute of Political Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences (Warsaw). His main fields of research are premodern urban social history and collective memory in the contemporary world.
Acknowledgements
List of Figures and Tables
Abbreviations
Introduction
â1 Definition of a âWillâ
â2 The Will â A Theoretical Perspective
â3 Source Base
â4 Subject Literature
â5 Structure of the Work
1 The Institution of the Will
â1 Wills in Poland in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries
â2 Church Guardianship over Wills
â3 Property Laws in Medieval Cities
â4 The Influence of Roman Law
â5 Property Bequests and Canonical Wills in Fourteenth-Century Krakow
â6 Emergence of the Communal Will in Krakow
â7 Open and Closed Wills in the Fifteenth Century
â8 Fifteenth-Century Wills âMade in Sickness and in Healthâ
â9 Formula for Wills from 1485
â10 Liber Testamentorum from 1450
â11 The Number of Wills in Krakow from 1300 to 1500
â12 The Reasons for Writing Wills
2 The Socio-economic Position of Testators
â1 Social Characteristics of the Late Medieval City
â2 Categories of Urban Social Subdivisions
â3 Municipal Authorities as Testators
â4 Occupational Structure of Testators
ââ4.1 Merchants and Stallholders
ââ4.2 Goldsmiths and Belt Makers
ââ4.3 Food-Related Crafts
ââ4.4 Clothing-Related Crafts
ââ4.5 Metalworking and Armour-Making Crafts
ââ4.6 Professionals of the Written Word
ââ4.7 Other Crafts
ââ4.8 Summary: Trade and Handicraft
â5 The Financial Situation of Krakovian Testators
â6 Social Structure in Other Cities and Towns
â7 Wealth and Social Status
â8 Dower Records in Krakovian Wills
â9 Estimates of Testatorsâ Wealth
â10 Characteristics of Particular Social Groups
ââ10.1 Impoverished Testators
ââ10.2 Testators of Modest Means
ââ10.3 Moderately Well-Off Testators
ââ10.4 Wealthy Testators
ââ10.5 Extremely Wealthy Testators
â11 Female Testators
â12 Immigrant Testators
ââ12.1 Immigration and the Cityâs Population
ââ12.2 Newcomers to the City
ââ12.3 Cultural Capital of Newcomers
â13 Determinants of Testatorsâ Social Position
ââ13.1 Economic Capital
ââ13.2 Cultural Capital â Education
ââ13.3 Social Capital â Quarter Captains, Tower Commanders and Administrators
â14 Changes in Social Position
ââ14.1 The Dower and Level of Wealth
ââ14.2 Social Mobility
3 The Burgher Family
â1 Family and Marriage in the Light of Law and Tradition
â2 New Forms of Bequests for Wives
â3 The Situation of the Widow
â4 Children
â5 Grandchildren
â6 Siblings, Nieces and Nephews
â7 Other Relatives
â8 Servants and Co-workers
â9 The Image of the Burgher Family as Presented in Late-Medieval Wills
4 The Burgher Religiosity
â1 A Personal Relationship with God
ââ1.1 Clergy
âââ1.1.1 Confessors
âââ1.1.2 Preachers
âââ1.1.3 Other Clergy
ââ1.2 Religious Objects in Wills
âââ1.2.1 Rosaries
âââ1.2.2 Books and Paintings
âââ1.2.3 Expensive Symbols of Piety: Crosses and Agnus Dei Medaillons
ââ1.3 Participation in the sacrum: Personal Belongings Used for Religious Purposes
â2 The Familial Dimension of Piety
â3 The Corporate Dimension of Burghersâ Piety
â4 Parish Identity and Ties to Other Religious Institutions in the Medieval City
â5 Religion Civique â Communal Religiosity
ââ5.1 Beguinages
â6 Christian Duty
â7 Summary
Conclusion
Appendix
Glossary
Bibliography
Index
List of Figures and Tables
Abbreviations
Introduction
â1 Definition of a âWillâ
â2 The Will â A Theoretical Perspective
â3 Source Base
â4 Subject Literature
â5 Structure of the Work
1 The Institution of the Will
â1 Wills in Poland in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries
â2 Church Guardianship over Wills
â3 Property Laws in Medieval Cities
â4 The Influence of Roman Law
â5 Property Bequests and Canonical Wills in Fourteenth-Century Krakow
â6 Emergence of the Communal Will in Krakow
â7 Open and Closed Wills in the Fifteenth Century
â8 Fifteenth-Century Wills âMade in Sickness and in Healthâ
â9 Formula for Wills from 1485
â10 Liber Testamentorum from 1450
â11 The Number of Wills in Krakow from 1300 to 1500
â12 The Reasons for Writing Wills
2 The Socio-economic Position of Testators
â1 Social Characteristics of the Late Medieval City
â2 Categories of Urban Social Subdivisions
â3 Municipal Authorities as Testators
â4 Occupational Structure of Testators
ââ4.1 Merchants and Stallholders
ââ4.2 Goldsmiths and Belt Makers
ââ4.3 Food-Related Crafts
ââ4.4 Clothing-Related Crafts
ââ4.5 Metalworking and Armour-Making Crafts
ââ4.6 Professionals of the Written Word
ââ4.7 Other Crafts
ââ4.8 Summary: Trade and Handicraft
â5 The Financial Situation of Krakovian Testators
â6 Social Structure in Other Cities and Towns
â7 Wealth and Social Status
â8 Dower Records in Krakovian Wills
â9 Estimates of Testatorsâ Wealth
â10 Characteristics of Particular Social Groups
ââ10.1 Impoverished Testators
ââ10.2 Testators of Modest Means
ââ10.3 Moderately Well-Off Testators
ââ10.4 Wealthy Testators
ââ10.5 Extremely Wealthy Testators
â11 Female Testators
â12 Immigrant Testators
ââ12.1 Immigration and the Cityâs Population
ââ12.2 Newcomers to the City
ââ12.3 Cultural Capital of Newcomers
â13 Determinants of Testatorsâ Social Position
ââ13.1 Economic Capital
ââ13.2 Cultural Capital â Education
ââ13.3 Social Capital â Quarter Captains, Tower Commanders and Administrators
â14 Changes in Social Position
ââ14.1 The Dower and Level of Wealth
ââ14.2 Social Mobility
3 The Burgher Family
â1 Family and Marriage in the Light of Law and Tradition
â2 New Forms of Bequests for Wives
â3 The Situation of the Widow
â4 Children
â5 Grandchildren
â6 Siblings, Nieces and Nephews
â7 Other Relatives
â8 Servants and Co-workers
â9 The Image of the Burgher Family as Presented in Late-Medieval Wills
4 The Burgher Religiosity
â1 A Personal Relationship with God
ââ1.1 Clergy
âââ1.1.1 Confessors
âââ1.1.2 Preachers
âââ1.1.3 Other Clergy
ââ1.2 Religious Objects in Wills
âââ1.2.1 Rosaries
âââ1.2.2 Books and Paintings
âââ1.2.3 Expensive Symbols of Piety: Crosses and Agnus Dei Medaillons
ââ1.3 Participation in the sacrum: Personal Belongings Used for Religious Purposes
â2 The Familial Dimension of Piety
â3 The Corporate Dimension of Burghersâ Piety
â4 Parish Identity and Ties to Other Religious Institutions in the Medieval City
â5 Religion Civique â Communal Religiosity
ââ5.1 Beguinages
â6 Christian Duty
â7 Summary
Conclusion
Appendix
Glossary
Bibliography
Index
Urban historians of the late medieval period interested in the socio-cultural development of law, and anyone interested in medieval documentary history.