From One Shore To the Other. The Wives of Tuscan Merchants in Barcelona in the 15th Century

The end of the Middle Ages witnessed a strong wave of migrations and mercantile mobility. This phenomenon, due to different economic and political factors, induced a numberof Tuscanmerchants tomove toBarcelona withtheirfamilies. In this context, family structure and the respective roles of individuals within the family are fundamental to understanding the strategies of integration, tutelage and reproduction of Tuscan householdswho migrated to Barcelona in the course of the fifteenth century. Following their husbands to one of the main trading centers in theMediterranean, women saw their role and condition change significantly. Howdid they participate in the family organization and in theadministration of its business? This article analyses the legal condition these women left behind, their specific role in the reorganization of their families across the sea, and how the legal condition of Barcelonesewomen was reshaped regarding access to citizenship and ownership, aswell as their relationship with local institutions. Based on archival sources, thiswork highlights processes of social negotiation that involve women and their agency.