Labour, religious identity, and social mobility in medieval Iberia: child and youth labour in Valencia’s converso community (fifteenth century)

This article explores the role of child and youth labour within the converso community of Valencia in the first half of the fifteenth century, a period marked by economic necessity and legal frameworks that shaped social mobility. Through an analysis of 267 contractes d’afermament—formal agreements that governed apprenticeships and domestic service—it examines the ways in which these two activities structured the labour market for young individuals. Male youths typically entered artisanal trades, while female adolescents were predominantly placed in domestic service, often in pursuit of dowries for marriage, but sometimes also of vocational training. The study highlights the risks faced by young female servants, including exploitation and loss of honour, and underscores the forms of economic participation available to them. Religious identity played a key role in shaping labour markets, with conversos often employing both fellow conversos and Old Christians, creating a complex web of cross-confessional interactions. The article also examines how community solidarity and kinship networks helped integrate orphans and economically vulnerable children into these labour systems.