Las cofradías españolas en la Edad Moderna desde una óptica socialTres décadas de avance historiográfico

Résumé

No associative phenomenon was more extended during the Ancient Regime in Spain than the brotherhoods. As a consequence, its social dimension deserves the historical analysis it has received these last decades, focusing on the essential aspects of their nature: the group solidarity and the mutual support they demonstrated, the public worship and the numerous festivities that these associations promoted. All these, from an unquestionable eagerness for autonomy that was difficult to maintain. Although there is a lack of complete, cohesive works, nowadays the bibliography on confraternities and brotherhoods can be described as abundant and at the same time scattered. This social reality and the intervention from the royal and ecclesiastical authority on the brotherhood sphere, is analyzed during this particular article, evidencing the advances in knowledge as well as the aspects that deserve a greater research activity.