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The possessions of a moneylender: Afonso Pires Borreco (d. 1578)

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Bibliographic Details
Summary:Afonso Pires Borreco was neither a nobleman, nor a native of Porto, two features that might have prevented him from integrating the urban elites of the city. However, he married into a family of local affluent shoemakers; performed the duties of scribe to the judge of orphans; and belonged to numerous confraternities, including the Misericórdia. At his death the Misericórdia inherited half of his estate. The presence of pawned objects in his inventory demonstrates that moneylending was one of his profitable activities. Besides throwing light on our understanding of upward social mobility, this case study enables the study of his mobile possessions within his domestic context.
Main Authors:Sá, Isabel dos Guimarães
Subject:Confraternities of Misericórdia Social mobility Transmission of property Material culture Social relations Cofradías de Misericordia Movilidad social Transmisión de la propiedad Cultura material Relaciones sociales
Year:2016
Country:Portugal
Document type:article
Access type:open access
Associated institution:Universidade do Minho
Language:English
Origin:RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho
Description
Summary:Afonso Pires Borreco was neither a nobleman, nor a native of Porto, two features that might have prevented him from integrating the urban elites of the city. However, he married into a family of local affluent shoemakers; performed the duties of scribe to the judge of orphans; and belonged to numerous confraternities, including the Misericórdia. At his death the Misericórdia inherited half of his estate. The presence of pawned objects in his inventory demonstrates that moneylending was one of his profitable activities. Besides throwing light on our understanding of upward social mobility, this case study enables the study of his mobile possessions within his domestic context.