Divisions of landed estates among noblewomen in Greater Poland in the 17th century

Abstract

The article aims to present the practice and rules of divisions of landed estates between noblewomen from Greater Poland in the 17^th century. One of the most important issues addressed in the text is the answer to the question whether divisions of estates between sisters inheriting their father’s property were based on the same principles as divisions of estates between men. Another important issue is the analysis of whether women, who were the only heirs to estates, advanced in the social hierarchy and the structure of the nobility in Poland in the 17^th century through inheritance.