Social networks and kinship in Southern Castile: The clientelistic system in the Kingdom of Murcia (17th-18th centuries)

Abstract

The essay discusses the social behaviour of the Southern Castile oligarchy (in particular the case of the Kingdom of Murcia during the 17th and 18th centuries), whose goal was to prevent the rise of other social groups such as rich merchants to the nobility. Whether this goal was achieved by the nobility is one of the main issues the paper tries to clarify. Thus, by analysing notable lineages of the Hispanic monarchy this issue can be clarified through a description of the social developments, behaviours and strategies of local oligarchies. Thus one can better understand why at certain moments these groups decided to prevent the entry of new rich groups by establishing links and social networks with other families. Their goal was to avoid the rise of merchant and intellectual – viz. clerks, lawyers, attorneys – groups to the nobility, as these groups were in a process of upward social mobility during the late 17th and the 18th century, obtaining more socioeconomic and politic power than the old aristocracy. However, a “social turn” was taking place because at certain moments the old aristocracy was establishing social networks by marrying members of the merchant and intellectual groups in order to control and keep power in cities and villages.

Key words: nobility, family, social network.