In the early modern period Dutch citizens could choose from a variety of judicial and infrajudicial forums to settle their disputes. In Leiden these institutions consisted of neighbourhoods, guilds, textile associations, civic militia, church councils, notaries, subordinate courts (a court established for settling matters about easement and other forms of urban servitude, and the so-called peacemaker court or vredemakers), and the official court or vierschaar. These forums dealt with tens of thousands of cases. In order to study the ways in which Leiden citizens used these institutions to put conflicts to an end, computer databases were made. These files were linked and analysed. The book shows that going to court was frequently used as an additional instrument of everyday social control. Many lawsuits were launched in the hope of accelerating the settlement of disputes, preferably without having to fight them through to the end. Generally, plaintiffs were focussed on restoring peace and social balance, rather than furthering their dispute. Most parties needed to live together amicably thereafter. They depended on each other as neighbours or colleagues. Instituting and concluding proceedings could put these relationships at risk. Besides, submitting a case to court was expensive and took a lot of time. All this gave people bargaining counter in settlement negotiations.

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
N.W. Posthumus Instituut, J.E. Jurriaanse Stichting, Kattendijke/Drucker Stichting, Vereniging Oud Leiden, M.A.O.C. Gravin van Bylandt Stichting, Stichting Meertens Bianchi Fonds
J. van Herwaarden (Jan) , P.C. Spierenburg (Pieter)
Erasmus University Rotterdam
hdl.handle.net/1765/13303
Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication (ESHCC)

van Meeteren, A. (2006, June 29). Op hoop van akkoord: Instrumenteel forumgebruik bij geschilbeslechting in Leiden in de zeventiende eeuw. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1765/13303


Additional Files
06008_hoop_H10_bijlagen.pdf Final Version , 317kb
06008_hoop_H08.pdf Final Version , 267kb
06008_hoop_H06.pdf Final Version , 263kb
06008_hoop_H05.pdf Final Version , 239kb
06008_hoop_H03.pdf Final Version , 208kb
06008_hoop_H02.pdf Final Version , 184kb
06008_hoop_H09.pdf Final Version , 131kb
06008_hoop_H04.pdf Final Version , 115kb
06008_hoop_H01.pdf Final Version , 115kb
nwpr 13 Meeteren omslag.pdf Final Version , 65kb
06008_hoop_H12_register.pdf Final Version , 59kb
06008_hoop_H11_summary.pdf Final Version , 48kb
06008_hoop_H00_inhoud.pdf Final Version , 41kb
06008_H00 handel 1-4.pdf Final Version , 33kb
06008_H00 dissertatie 1-4.pdf Final Version , 32kb
06008_hoop_H00_voorwoord.pdf Final Version , 25kb
Stellingen.pdf , 14kb