Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Amicitia
(1,163 words)

Amicitia (“friendship”) is, after kinship, the most important constitutive principle of society and groups in Europe. In principle, it tends toward equality and is based on the material and immaterial exchange of gifts. Both forms of amicitia inherited from the Middle Ages and new forms can be observed in Early Modern history. On the one hand, the concept remained focused on the special, if variable, quality of the amicable relationship, ranging from (short or long-term) shared interest to loyalty and affection to sexuality. On the…

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Weber, Wolfgang E.J., “Amicitia”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_SIM_016792>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20160321



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