Niccolò Armandola, Malte Doehne, and Katja Rost on «Marriage as a resource» in 17th century Basel
How did elites in 17th and 18th century Basel change their approach to marriages to secure and maintain their social, economical, and political power during a period of institutional reform? Dr. Niccolò Armandola, Dr. Malte Doehne and Prof. Dr. Katja Rost analyze 14,841 marriages in Basel between 1648 and 1848 to examine how elites adjusted their marriage strategies to institutional change and how these adjustments affected family social status.
Marriage as a resource: family marriage strategies among elites in response to institutional change
First published July 25, 2026, in Socio-Economic Review
Niccolò Giorgia Armandola, Malte Doehne and Katja Rost
Abstract
Marital sorting is commonly used by elites to prevent status erosion and maintain exclusivity. However, elites are affected by shifts in the socioeconomic environment, and their capacity to navigate such challenges determines their long-term success. We use genealogical data from early modern Switzerland to analyze 14,841 marriages in Basel between 1648 and 1848, a period marked by legislative reform, to examine how elites adjusted their marriage strategies to institutional change and how these adjustments affected family social status. Switzerland offers a compelling setting for studying elites because of its high wealth concentration and the importance of old elite dynasties. Our findings show that Basel’s old elite adopted conservative, endogamous strategies as reforms threatened their political privileges, even as an emergent silk merchant elite continued selective exogamy into the old elite. More broadly, the effectiveness of family marriage strategies was shaped by the institutional rules governing families' access to power.
