Open Elite? Social Mobility, Marriage, and Family in Florence, 1282–1494

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ID: 317605
2026
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Abstract
Abstract This chapter explores the dynamic interplay among social mobility, marriage patterns, and family structures in Renaissance Florence, as scholars debate the openness of the elite. It employs rigorous statistical analyses of tax censuses, political records, and marriage data to reveal high relative mobility in wealth and political office, despite persistent marriage endogamy. The chapter demonstrates that factors such as family size, neighborhood proximity, and economic status significantly shape intermarriage patterns while maintaining low correlations among wealth, political power, and lineage size. It illustrates how patrilineage ideals diffuse throughout society, yielding an evolving elite structure that adapts to recurring political crises and demographic shifts. Finally, the chapter concludes that complex and inconsistent stratifications transform elitist intentions into an open elite system that continuously adapts to social, economic, and political changes.
Reference Key
openalex_W7165006312 Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors John F. Padgett
Journal Oxford University Press eBooks
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/oso/9780197789216.003.0004
URL
https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780197789216.003.0004
Keywords Keywords not found

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