The Assistance to the Parish Poor in Late Medieval Flemish Cities:The Holy Spirit Tables in Ghent

The problem of poverty and its relief in the medieval cities has been the subject of a series of studies since 1970s.In the absence of central controlling organization engaged in the provision and supervision of assistance to the poor,medieval charitable institutions seem to provide some scope for a close study of the experience of poverty and its relief.From the charitable activity one can discover a field of social interaction and social relations in late medieval cities.In the last thirty years especially,social historians of Europe have carried out valuable primary research in the field of poverty and poor relief.Some have concentrated on one urban society,and others have dealt