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Jaco Zuijderduijn . Photo

Jaco Zuijderduijn

Senior lecturer

Jaco Zuijderduijn . Photo

Strategies for old age and agency of the elderly in towns of the Low Countries in the Renaissance

Author

  • Jaco Zuijderduijn
  • Kim Overlaet

Summary, in English

Contrary to what is sometimes assumed, the elderly in the distant past could not always rely on voluntary care. Therefore, some of them had to develop strategies to secure assistance during old age. We focus on towns in the Low Countries, where family ties were weak, and ageing individuals likely had to plan for old age. We show how members of the middling layers of society could use wills and retirement contracts to ensure care provided by both kin and non-kin, and also to secure living standards during their final years. By recording such contracts, the elderly remained in control of their lives, despite their advancing years.

Department/s

  • Department of Economic History
  • Financial history, banking and insurance
  • Growth, technological change, and inequality

Publishing year

2021

Language

English

Pages

265-284

Publication/Series

Continuity and Change

Volume

36

Issue

3

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Topic

  • History
  • Economic History

Keywords

  • retirement contracts
  • wills
  • medieval history
  • early modern history

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1469-218X