Life Cycle Events in 15th Century Florence: Records of the Monte Delle Doti

Abstract

Records of a dowry investment fund operated by the city of Florence, Italy from 1425-1545 contain information on life cycle events of about 32,000 girls. This information includes date of birth, date and amount of investment, and date of dowry payment or death. In the present study, the first of 19 volumes of these records were used to compute death rates and payment rates (an approximation of marriage rates) and to analyze these rates according to age, time, and socioeconomic status. Usable records were obtained for 1631 girls. There were 315 deaths; death rates per 1000 person-years were 38, 17, 11, 16, and 19 for ages less than 5, 5-9, 10-14, 15-19, and 20+, respectively. Compared to previous and succeeding years, death rates increased 5-10 times in 1437-1438 and 1449-1450, years in which epidemics have been recorded. During these periods of epidemics, death rates were relatively low in the winter months. Death rate were made for 1274 girls. About three-fourths of these payments were made by age 20. Rate of payment increased with amount of investment. Proportionally, births were least frequent during December and January, indicating a deficit of conceptions around the time of Lent.

Evolution and proximate expression of human paternal investment.

“…Moreover, the mortality risks of these "illegitimate" children were reduced if the father provided some economic support to the child and its mother, and the mortality rates of "legitimate" children increased if the father died, as is found in developing nations today. A relation between paternal provisioning and infant and child mortality risks has in fact been reported throughout preindustrial and industrializing Europe and the United States (Hed, 1987;Herlihy, 1965;Klindworth & Voland, 1995;Morrison, Kirshner, & Molho, 1977;Schultz, 1991;Vallin, 1991;Voland, 1988).…”

Evolution of Paternal Investment

“…Overall, it appears that there is a strong, direct association between stable family relationships and low levels of child mortality, although the direction of causation cannot be inferred from the dataʺ (United Nations, 1985, p. 227). The same pattern was found throughout preindustrial and industrializing Europe and the United States (Herlihy, 1965;Klindworth & Voland, 1995;Morrison, Kirshner, & Molho, 1977;Schultz, 1991). In an analysis of demographic records from eighteenth century Berlin, Schultz found a strong correlation (r = .74) between socioeconomic status (SES, a composite of income, educational level, and occupational status) and infant and child mortality rates; SES was defined in part by paternal occupation.…”

“…In an analysis of demographic records from eighteenth century Berlin, Schultz found a strong correlation (r = .74) between socioeconomic status (SES, a composite of income, educational level, and occupational status) and infant and child mortality rates; SES was defined in part by paternal occupation. During the 1437 to 1438 and 1449 to 1450 epidemics in Florence, Italy, child mortality rates increased 5-to 10-fold and varied inversely with SES (Morrison et al, 1977). In nineteenth century Sweden, infant mortality rates were 1½ to 3 times higher for children born to unmarried mothers than children born to married couples (Brändström, 1997).…”

The motivation to control and the origin of mind: Exploring the life–mind joint point in the Tree of Knowledge System

“…In fact, parental SES often influenced which infants and young children would live and which would die. To illustrate, during the 1437-1438 and 1449-1450 epidemics in Florence, Italy, child mortality rates increased 5-to 10-fold and varied inversely with parental SES even at the high end of the continuum (Morrison et al, 1977). As another example, in an extensive analysis of birth, death, and demographic records from 18th century Berlin, Schultz found a strong correlation (r ϭ .74) between parental SES and infant and child mortality rates.…”

“…In preindustrial and industrializing Western societies, and in traditional societies today (Hill & Hurtado, 1996;United Nations, 1985), SES was considerably more important than it currently is in Western culture (Hed, 1987;Herlihy, 1965;Morrison, Kirshner, & Molho, 1977;Schultz, 1991). In fact, parental SES often influenced which infants and young children would live and which would die.…”