Volhynian Court Books as a Source for Studying the History of the Ukrainian Noble (Szlachta) Family in the 16th and 17th Centuries
Volhynian Court Books as a Source for Studying the History of the Ukrainian Noble (Szlachta) Family in the 16th and 17th Centuries

Summary/Abstract: The article documents the importance and significance of castle and land court books for studying the history of the early modern Ukrainian family, many aspects of which so far have hardly been explored. An overview of the history and the content of Volhynian court books is provided, and the documents that contain information on contemporary families are detailed and analyzed. The court books are shown to represent a comprehensive and valuable source that helps reconstruct single and extended family structures, identify kin relations, characterize demographic behaviour, and study intra-family relationships. The analysis of the court books suggests that some stereotypes about the early modern Ukrainian family need to be revised.

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