Las estrategias familiares a través de los contratos matrimoniales en el Norte de Navarra: Lesaka, 1790-1879

Abstract

In this work we analyse family strategies in Lesaka by means of the wedding contracts written by the notary in that town between 1790 and 1879 and conserved in the General Archives of Navarre. The municipality of Lesaka is situated in the district of Cinco Villas or Bortziriak, in the northwest of Navarre, in the frontier of this province with Gipuzkoa and France. Through the statistical consideration of various wedding contract clauses family strategies are studied with reference to various aspects such as the transmission of patrimonies, co-residence rules, the choice of heir, the position of the elderly, of unmarried relatives, relationships with the matrimonial market and the social mobility of the segundones, those who were not to accede to inheritance. The degree of representation of the sample is also studied, since the main actors of matrimonial contracts were peasants with properties.