Nazione israelitica
Item
Country
IT
Name of institution (English)
State Archives of Florence
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
ita
Contact information: postal address
Viale Giovine Italia 6, 50122 Florence
Contact information: phone number
0039 055263201
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
asfi@archiviodistato.firenze.it
Reference number
Nazione israelitica
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Jewish Nation
Title (official language of the state)
Nazione israelitica
Language of title
ita
Creator / accumulator
Nazione israelitica di Firenze
Date(s)
1620/1808
Language(s)
ita
heb
Extent
72 storage units
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
The Nazione Ebraica fonds comprises records produced by the Tribunale dei Massari and the chancellery of the Jewish nation of Florence. Although most of the records are related to Italian Jews, it is also possible to find documents concerning the relation between this community and the Levantine nation (Sephardim from the Ottoman Empire territories) settled in the Florentine ghetto. In addition, the records dating after 1689, when both communities were merged under the jurisdiction of the same Tribunale dei Massari (see Biographical History below), concerns both Italian and Levantine nations.
The fond is currently divided into 8 series:
Series I, "Sentenze e decreti": sentences and decrees issued by the Tribunale dei Massari. The first subseries contains records related to the Italian nation, and the second, with documents produced after the unification in 1689, includes items concerning both Italian and Levantine communities.
Series II, "Comparse": documents provided to the Tribunale dei Massai by the parties involved in the investigation. The records are organised by affair and contain headings with the parties' names arranged in alphabetical order. The first two files include records regarding cases judged by the Tribunale dei Massai of the Levantine community.
Series III, "Esecuzioni delle pene": comprises two records: the first related to forced executions and seizures (1778-1808) and the second related to payments and fines (1796-1808).
Series IV, "Suppliche": pleas presented to both the civil authorities and the Tribunale dei Massari.
Series V, "Mondualdi": a binder of loose "mondualdi", i.e. declaration issued by heads of family to allow the signing of contracts by women, in this case, the stipulation of deeds of marriage (1801-1808).
Series VI, "Cause particolari": two files relating to three particular cases: Gallico versus Forte, in which Samuel Forte was accused of raping Rosa Gallico, his betrothed (1777-1782); Montalcino versus Cassuto, regarding an unpaid bill (1782-1783); and a case in which Rachel of Lazarus Laid Tedesco accused Salvador di Leon Finzi of not having married her as promised (1779-1780).
Series VII, "Carte dotali": copies of marriage contracts (1713-1808).
Series VIII, "Citazioni e atti di Cancelleria": 12 records composed of copies of documents issued by the community's chancellery (1747-1808).
The fond is currently divided into 8 series:
Series I, "Sentenze e decreti": sentences and decrees issued by the Tribunale dei Massari. The first subseries contains records related to the Italian nation, and the second, with documents produced after the unification in 1689, includes items concerning both Italian and Levantine communities.
Series II, "Comparse": documents provided to the Tribunale dei Massai by the parties involved in the investigation. The records are organised by affair and contain headings with the parties' names arranged in alphabetical order. The first two files include records regarding cases judged by the Tribunale dei Massai of the Levantine community.
Series III, "Esecuzioni delle pene": comprises two records: the first related to forced executions and seizures (1778-1808) and the second related to payments and fines (1796-1808).
Series IV, "Suppliche": pleas presented to both the civil authorities and the Tribunale dei Massari.
Series V, "Mondualdi": a binder of loose "mondualdi", i.e. declaration issued by heads of family to allow the signing of contracts by women, in this case, the stipulation of deeds of marriage (1801-1808).
Series VI, "Cause particolari": two files relating to three particular cases: Gallico versus Forte, in which Samuel Forte was accused of raping Rosa Gallico, his betrothed (1777-1782); Montalcino versus Cassuto, regarding an unpaid bill (1782-1783); and a case in which Rachel of Lazarus Laid Tedesco accused Salvador di Leon Finzi of not having married her as promised (1779-1780).
Series VII, "Carte dotali": copies of marriage contracts (1713-1808).
Series VIII, "Citazioni e atti di Cancelleria": 12 records composed of copies of documents issued by the community's chancellery (1747-1808).
Archival history
After the extinction of the Tribunal dei Massari in 1808, all documentation accumulated and produced by the chancellery and court of the Jewish nation of Florence — a total of 72 documentary units — was delivered to Luigi Lustrini, the Superintendent of the Archivi riuniti.
Following the extinction of the Sovrintendenza agli Archivi riuniti, the records of the Tribunal dei Massari were gathered together with other small fonds related to the administration of justice and later incorporated into the Archivio Centrale di Stato. Then, Francesco Bonaini, the superintendent of the archive, appointed Telemaco Del Badia to compile an inventory of some fonds preserved in the Conservatoria generale and the Tribunali in San Pier Scheraggio. Del Badia's work began at the end of October 1853, and he started cataloguing the judicial documents. The result was the inventory of 23 collections, the last of which was the Nazione Israelitica fonds.
Del Badia's inventory listed 72 storage units divided into seven series: "Atti, Decreti e Sentenze del Magistrato dei Massari degli Ebrei di Firenze" (19 units), "Comparse" (7 units), "Atti" (11 units), "Decreti e Sentenze" (7 units), "Informazioni in Cause Civili e Rappresentanze in Affari Economici e Politici" (6 units), "Citazioni e Atti diversi di Cancelleria" (15 units) and "Aggiunta" (7 units).
Recently, in the course of a project of reorganisation of the
Archivio della Comunità Ebraica di Firenze, the Nazione Israelitica fonds was also reorganised, and a new inventory was produced under the direction of Ilaria Marcelli e Chiara Marcheschi. This inventory is available online on the Archivio di Stato di Firenze website.
Following the extinction of the Sovrintendenza agli Archivi riuniti, the records of the Tribunal dei Massari were gathered together with other small fonds related to the administration of justice and later incorporated into the Archivio Centrale di Stato. Then, Francesco Bonaini, the superintendent of the archive, appointed Telemaco Del Badia to compile an inventory of some fonds preserved in the Conservatoria generale and the Tribunali in San Pier Scheraggio. Del Badia's work began at the end of October 1853, and he started cataloguing the judicial documents. The result was the inventory of 23 collections, the last of which was the Nazione Israelitica fonds.
Del Badia's inventory listed 72 storage units divided into seven series: "Atti, Decreti e Sentenze del Magistrato dei Massari degli Ebrei di Firenze" (19 units), "Comparse" (7 units), "Atti" (11 units), "Decreti e Sentenze" (7 units), "Informazioni in Cause Civili e Rappresentanze in Affari Economici e Politici" (6 units), "Citazioni e Atti diversi di Cancelleria" (15 units) and "Aggiunta" (7 units).
Recently, in the course of a project of reorganisation of the
Archivio della Comunità Ebraica di Firenze, the Nazione Israelitica fonds was also reorganised, and a new inventory was produced under the direction of Ilaria Marcelli e Chiara Marcheschi. This inventory is available online on the Archivio di Stato di Firenze website.
Administrative / Biographical history
Although the Jewish presence in Florence dates back to the late 13th century, there is no evidence of the existence of a structured community before 1570, when a decree issued by Cosimo I de' Medici on October 3 established the Jewish ghetto. In the following year, the Jewish community obtained the Grand Duke's approval of the eight chapters that regulated the administrative and socioeconomic life within the ghetto. New bye-laws were approved in 1572, which determined the election of a governance body constituted by ten Jews elected annually. Then, the Magistrato Supremo (Supreme Magistrate) established that the jurisdiction of the Jews would be transferred from the Otto di guardia e balìa to the Nove conservatori del dominio e della giurisdizione fiorentina.
During the first forty years, the political power within the ghetto was concentrated in the hands of a few families, all of Florentine origin.
The regulations were reformed in 1609 and a new assembly composed of 18 members, the Congrega, was created.
However, it was only on July 31, 1639, that the privilege granted by Ferdinando de' Medici to the Jews of Pisa and Livorno in 1593 was extended to the Italian nation of Florence, by giving them authority to judge and punish all the differences between members of the community. Then, it was created within the ghetto a secular tribunal composed of members elected by the community, the “Tribunale dei Massari della Nazione italiana”.
At the time, the Levantine Jews (Sephardim) living in the city had already constituted their own governing and judicial structures. Therefore, during the 17th century, two parallel structures with different chancelleries, courts and schools coexisted in the Florentine ghetto. This coexistence lasted until 1689, when a decree on March 31 ratified the unification of both communities. Then, a single Tribunale dei Massari was constituted, following an agreement between the representatives of both the Italian and the Levantine Jews.
The Tribunale dei Massari remained active until 1808, when the Jewish population was submitted to the common civil and criminal jurisdiction.
During the first forty years, the political power within the ghetto was concentrated in the hands of a few families, all of Florentine origin.
The regulations were reformed in 1609 and a new assembly composed of 18 members, the Congrega, was created.
However, it was only on July 31, 1639, that the privilege granted by Ferdinando de' Medici to the Jews of Pisa and Livorno in 1593 was extended to the Italian nation of Florence, by giving them authority to judge and punish all the differences between members of the community. Then, it was created within the ghetto a secular tribunal composed of members elected by the community, the “Tribunale dei Massari della Nazione italiana”.
At the time, the Levantine Jews (Sephardim) living in the city had already constituted their own governing and judicial structures. Therefore, during the 17th century, two parallel structures with different chancelleries, courts and schools coexisted in the Florentine ghetto. This coexistence lasted until 1689, when a decree on March 31 ratified the unification of both communities. Then, a single Tribunale dei Massari was constituted, following an agreement between the representatives of both the Italian and the Levantine Jews.
The Tribunale dei Massari remained active until 1808, when the Jewish population was submitted to the common civil and criminal jurisdiction.
Access points: locations
Access points: corporate bodies
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
The fonds is divided into 8 series. The records of each series are arranged chronologically.
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2021
Linked resources
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