ABSTRACT
Historiography traditionally depicts abduction as either a violent strategy used to force wealthy heiresses into marriage or a romantic elopement used by two people to marry against the wishes of parents and relatives. Chapter 2 explores this dichotomy by looking at ‘the abductor’ as a collective noun for those who instigated the abduction or were considered to bear some degree of responsibility. By examining the abductors’ social and professional background, the motivations attributed to them in the records, the position of the persons they abducted, and the relations between all people involved, this chapter aims for a better understanding of the phenomenon’s who, how and why.
