Rethinking complex households: the case of the Western Pyrenean ‘Houses’

Verdon, Michel

doi:10.1017/s0268416000003313

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 13 publications

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“…10 Few studies on traditional succession strategies in the Basque Country were published in the 19th century (Cordier, 1859). Most appeared in the 20th century and underscored the families' efforts to perpetuate traditional single inheritance practices over time (Abelson, 1978;Barcelo, 1988;Comas d'Argemir & Soulet, 1993;Douglass, 1975Douglass, , 1988Etchelecou, 1991;Fougères, 1938;Verdon, 1979Verdon, , 1996. stem family households-two couples, one from each generation, and their respective unmarried children living together and sharing the output of the farm, as had been done in the past.…”

Section: New Succession Strategies In the 19th Centurymentioning

confidence: 99%

Succession strategies in the Pyrenees in the 19th century: The Basque case

Arrizabalaga

2005

The History of the Family

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Basque customs in the Old Regime dictated the traditional succession rules of aînesse intégrale, which entitled the first-born male or female child to inherit all family assets (house and land) upon marriage. He or she was then to cohabit with the parents as a stem family, thus securing the transition and continuity of the house. With the implementation of the Civil Code in the 19th century, these ancient succession practices were abolished, forcing families to partition their assets equally among their children. Family reconstitution, succession records, and land registers of the 19th century indicate that, despite the new law, Basque families circumvented the law to transmit their property to one child, thus avoiding partitioning and securing continuity of the house. To perpetuate their ancient succession practices, families elaborated new strategies, showing flexibility toward traditional practices (especially aînesse intégrale) and making concessions to the heir or heiress, spouse, and siblings. They adapted the customs to the new law while maintaining the most essential prerogatives of ancient family traditions (single inheritance) for the survival of the bhouse systemQ. D

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Section: New Succession Strategies In the 19th Centurymentioning

confidence: 99%

Succession strategies in the Pyrenees in the 19th century: The Basque case

Arrizabalaga

2005

The History of the Family

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Family reproduction and stem-family system: From Pyrenean valleys to Norwegian farms

Fauve-Chamoux¹

2006

The History of the Family

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The article presents a comparative study of two stem-family European systems: on the one hand, the well-known central Pyrenean family as found in the Barony of Esparros, and, on the other hand, the one prevalent in highland farms of South-East Norway. In the two communities, the continuity of the "house" was maintained over generations through non-egalitarian practices of transmission to a privileged heir or heiress. Other siblings received compensations or stayed at home unmarried. Comparing long-term mechanisms of the Norwegian odal farm and of the Pyrenean house permits identification of similar strategies of coresidence and more-or-less controlled family reproduction through choice of marriage partner and regulated fertility. These mountainous rural communities developed efficient responses to preindustrial and early-industrial demographic changes, facing and absorbing demographic growth and transition. They had to open to new markets, new techniques of production and exploitation of natural environment -particularly the forest -and adapt to social and legislative change. In both agro-pastoral systems, population pressure created a large group of landless or semi-landless families-cottars, day labourers or servants-whose reproduction strategies (age at marriage and fertility rates) diverged from those of the owners of land.

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Les héritières de la maison au Pays Basque au XIXe siècle

Arrizabalaga¹

2002

lapurdum

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coutumes successorales au Pays Basque dans l'Ancien Régime étaient unique en Europe non parce qu'elles permettaient aux chefs de famille de léguer tous les biens de famille aux aînés (car c'était le cas de nombreuses régions coutumières en France 2), mais parce que ce système de l'héritage unique, celui de la primogéniture qui favorisait l'aîné des enfants, ne faisait aucune distinction entre les garçons premiers nés et les filles premières nées. Selon le droit coutumier basque, l'aîné, qu'il soit un garçon ou une fille, devenait l'héritier légal de la maison et de toutes les terres, forcé(e) ensuite de dédommager plus ou moins équitablement les cohéritiers, filles et garçons, qui dès lors quittaient la maison et allaient se placer ailleurs. Ainsi, les filles aînées avaient autant de chances que les fils aînés d'hériter du patrimoine familial. Ce système n'a pas d'équivalence dans les Pyrénées (ni même en France ou en Europe). Les Béarnais préféraient transmettre la succession de la maison aux fils aînés en priorité ou aux fils cadets, lorsque l'aîné des enfants était une fille 3. De même, dans les Baronnies, c'était l'aîné des garçons qui généralement héritait du patrimoine familial 4. Enfin, en Catalogne, l'héritage était transmis à un fils, qu'il Marie-Pierre Arrizabalaga est Maître de Conférences à l'Université de Cergy-Pontoise où elle enseigne depuis cinq ans. Elle a obtenu deux doctorats, le premier en 1994 au département d'Histoire de l'Université de Californie à Davis aux Etats-Unis et le second en 1998 à l'Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales à Paris. Elle consacre sa recherche et ses publications françaises et étrangères à l'étude de la famille, des structures familiales, des successions et ses modalités, du sort des héritiers et des cadets et de l'émigration des Basques au XIXe siècle. 2 Voir les typologies des modes de transmission présentées par Jean Yver, Essai de géographie coutumière (Paris: Editions Sirey, 1966); Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie, "Système de la coutume. Structures familiales et coutume d'héritage en France au XVIe siècle", Annales ESC, 4-5, 1972, 825-846; André Burguière, "Pour une typologie des formes d'organisation domestique de l'Europe moderne (XVIe-XIXe siècles),

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Rethinking complex households: the case of the Western Pyrenean ‘Houses’

Cited by 3 publications

References 13 publications

Succession strategies in the Pyrenees in the 19th century: The Basque case

Succession strategies in the Pyrenees in the 19th century: The Basque case

Family reproduction and stem-family system: From Pyrenean valleys to Norwegian farms

Les héritières de la maison au Pays Basque au XIXe siècle

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