IMC 2011: Sessions

In 1238 the Sharq al-Andalus was conquered by the troops of James I of Aragon in a general context of feudal expansion. From that, a new kingdom was born, the kingdom of Valencia. Traditionally it has been said that the new communities of settlers founded in the second half of the 13th century were egalitarian and that until some decades after the conquest we cannot detect strong differences amongst their members. However, recent studies show that the process of differentiation started just in the 13th century and even that those egalitarian communities did not ever exist. From the very beginning we can detect not only economical but also political predominance of some families both in urban and rural communities. On the other hand, many families depended on the solidarities of the community. In relation with this, as it happened, an assistance network was consolidated by the mid-14th century through alms-giving, hospitals and hospices. Most of them depended on the community, but mendicant orders had also an important role. Aside from that, rich members of the community did not only give their help to the poor neighbours through these municipal institutions. They also practised an individual charity which reaffirmed their leadership amongst their particular community.
This is a double session; the first one is focused on the charity and the poverty in an urban context. The first paper of this session will analyze the point of view of municipal institutions about the poor in large cities such as Valencia and Barcelona. The second paper will study the differences and the solidarities of artisan groups. The third paper of this session will analyze the role of wealth peasants as guardians of orphans with fewer resources in the transition of the 14th and 15th centuries. The fourth paper is an attempt to establish some general considerations about the luxury and the investment in conspicuous consumption amongst the Valencian peasantry in the 15th century, with special attention to the countryside but also in an urban context.