Ufficiali al Cattaver
Item
Country
IT
Name of institution (English)
State Archives of Venice
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
ita
Contact information: postal address
Campo dei Frari, San Polo 3002, 30125 Venice
Contact information: phone number
0039 0415222281
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
as-ve@archivi.beniculturali.it
Reference number
Ufficiali al Cattaver
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Officers of the Cattaver
Title (official language of the state)
Ufficiali al Cattaver
Language of title
ita
Creator / accumulator
Ufficiali al Cattaver
Date note
14th century/1797
Language(s)
ita
lat
Extent
346 folders
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
This fonds comprises documentation related to the activities of the Ufficiali al Cattaver (Officers of the Cattaver). It is organised in several series, such as the Capitolari (minutes, from 1240 to 1794), Decreti (decrees, from 1604 to 1796), Lettere del Magistrato (letters from the Magistrate, from 1582 to 1797), and Lettere responsive (responsive letters, from 1673 to 1797).
Since the Ufficiali al Cattaver were responsible for supervising the Jews of the Ghetto Nuovo and ensuring that they respected existing laws, some document series are directly related to the Jewish population of Venice. These records often expose tensions and disputes between the Cattaveri and Jewish leaders. The Jewish-related series of the Ufficiali al Cattaver fonds are the following:
Processi contro ebrei (Processes against Jews) from 1705 to 1795;
Ebbreorum Cattaveri (Jews, Cattaver Officials), including 29 books from 1582 to 1685;
Libro grande dell'università degli ebrei (Great Book of the Jewish community), containing one book dating from 1632;
Libro Ebreorum (Book of Hebrews), composed of eight books from 1759 to 1788;
Lettere del magistrato (Letters of magistrates), containing three books with scattered references to Jews;
Atti relativi agli Ebrei (Proceedings related to Jews), four books dating from 1564 to 1797.
The Judaica Europeana project provides online digital copies of 56 codices from these series, containing hundreds of documents concerning the Jewish communities.
Since the Ufficiali al Cattaver were responsible for supervising the Jews of the Ghetto Nuovo and ensuring that they respected existing laws, some document series are directly related to the Jewish population of Venice. These records often expose tensions and disputes between the Cattaveri and Jewish leaders. The Jewish-related series of the Ufficiali al Cattaver fonds are the following:
Processi contro ebrei (Processes against Jews) from 1705 to 1795;
Ebbreorum Cattaveri (Jews, Cattaver Officials), including 29 books from 1582 to 1685;
Libro grande dell'università degli ebrei (Great Book of the Jewish community), containing one book dating from 1632;
Libro Ebreorum (Book of Hebrews), composed of eight books from 1759 to 1788;
Lettere del magistrato (Letters of magistrates), containing three books with scattered references to Jews;
Atti relativi agli Ebrei (Proceedings related to Jews), four books dating from 1564 to 1797.
The Judaica Europeana project provides online digital copies of 56 codices from these series, containing hundreds of documents concerning the Jewish communities.
Archival history
The Ufficiali al Cattaver was one of the magistracies elected by the Maggior Consiglio (Major Council). The oldest references to the existence of archives in the Republic of Venice indicate the concentration of documents in the Basilica of Saint Mark, the Doge's Palace and the buildings of the different Councils and Colleges of government.
Efforts to organise and better preserve written documents of the institutions of the Republic are known in the 13th century. For instance, in 1266 the Maggior Consiglio (Major Council) determined that all its decisions should be transcribed and that one of the copies should be stored in the archive of Quarantia. In 1271 and 1272, new orders determined that all "avogadori" (magistrates) should return to the Doge's archives any documents that they eventually held in their possession for their own personal use.
On October 27, 1283, a deliberation referred to the fact that the laws of the Maggior Consiglio were registered in ten books. Subsequently, it was determined the creation of a commission to copy those laws that were still in place. The existence of a Cancelleria Ducale (Chancellery in the Doge's Palace) where the most important documents were stored and with proper officials, presumably became a reality in this period.
On August 14, 1671, the Senate entrusted the documents belonging to the Archivio delle scritture vecchie di palazzo (archive of the old documents of the Palace) to the conservatori and esecutori delle leggi (law officials), who were responsible for inventorying the collection. The inventory was kept until 1797, even if with some oversights and errors. Among the fonds preserved and described were the archives of different officials, such as the Ufficiali al Cattaver, the Giudici del piovego or the Provveditori sopra ospedali e luoghi pii, among others.
After the fall of the Republic of Venice in 1797, document collections faced many challenges as they were separated to different areas of the city, while others were transported to other cities, such as Paris, Vienna and Milan. In 1807, the fonds was divided in three main buildings: the Scuola di S. Teodoro for political documentation, the Convent of S. Giovanni Laterano for judicial documentation and the S. Provolo for State for financial matters. On December 13, 1815, Francesco I determined the reunification of the archival collections and, in 1822, the Convent of S. Maria Gloriosa dei Frari was chosen to become the main building of the archive. In the last decades of the 19th century some additional structures were added. At the same time, a successful negotiation process allowed for the return of almost all archival collections that had been sent to other cities in the first decades of the 19th century.
Efforts to organise and better preserve written documents of the institutions of the Republic are known in the 13th century. For instance, in 1266 the Maggior Consiglio (Major Council) determined that all its decisions should be transcribed and that one of the copies should be stored in the archive of Quarantia. In 1271 and 1272, new orders determined that all "avogadori" (magistrates) should return to the Doge's archives any documents that they eventually held in their possession for their own personal use.
On October 27, 1283, a deliberation referred to the fact that the laws of the Maggior Consiglio were registered in ten books. Subsequently, it was determined the creation of a commission to copy those laws that were still in place. The existence of a Cancelleria Ducale (Chancellery in the Doge's Palace) where the most important documents were stored and with proper officials, presumably became a reality in this period.
On August 14, 1671, the Senate entrusted the documents belonging to the Archivio delle scritture vecchie di palazzo (archive of the old documents of the Palace) to the conservatori and esecutori delle leggi (law officials), who were responsible for inventorying the collection. The inventory was kept until 1797, even if with some oversights and errors. Among the fonds preserved and described were the archives of different officials, such as the Ufficiali al Cattaver, the Giudici del piovego or the Provveditori sopra ospedali e luoghi pii, among others.
After the fall of the Republic of Venice in 1797, document collections faced many challenges as they were separated to different areas of the city, while others were transported to other cities, such as Paris, Vienna and Milan. In 1807, the fonds was divided in three main buildings: the Scuola di S. Teodoro for political documentation, the Convent of S. Giovanni Laterano for judicial documentation and the S. Provolo for State for financial matters. On December 13, 1815, Francesco I determined the reunification of the archival collections and, in 1822, the Convent of S. Maria Gloriosa dei Frari was chosen to become the main building of the archive. In the last decades of the 19th century some additional structures were added. At the same time, a successful negotiation process allowed for the return of almost all archival collections that had been sent to other cities in the first decades of the 19th century.
Administrative / Biographical history
The Ufficiali al Cattaver was one of the magistratures elected by the Maggior Consiglio. It was established on June 26, 1280, with investigative and advisory capacities regarding public money and expenditure.
Therefore, its functions were mostly related to the financial area, including the repression of smuggling activities from Venice to the Kvarner Gulf, contract of duties and resolution of disputes related to inheritances, and the protection of the tax system in a broad sense. The Ufficiali also exercised control over commercial activities and had jurisdiction in cases involving pilgrims to the Holy Land. After the creation of new magistracies and offices, their authority was gradually reduced. They were still responsible for collecting taxes of vacant inheritances and delivering the treasures found on land and sea to the treasury. They also continued to exercise vigilance over the behaviour and any suspicion of usury practised by Jews. The Ufficiali al Cattaver also had civil jurisdiction over appeals for the territories of the city and Duchy of Venice in specific cases. They also functioned as a first instance Court, as judges with delegated jurisdiction.
Therefore, its functions were mostly related to the financial area, including the repression of smuggling activities from Venice to the Kvarner Gulf, contract of duties and resolution of disputes related to inheritances, and the protection of the tax system in a broad sense. The Ufficiali also exercised control over commercial activities and had jurisdiction in cases involving pilgrims to the Holy Land. After the creation of new magistracies and offices, their authority was gradually reduced. They were still responsible for collecting taxes of vacant inheritances and delivering the treasures found on land and sea to the treasury. They also continued to exercise vigilance over the behaviour and any suspicion of usury practised by Jews. The Ufficiali al Cattaver also had civil jurisdiction over appeals for the territories of the city and Duchy of Venice in specific cases. They also functioned as a first instance Court, as judges with delegated jurisdiction.
Access points: locations
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
The fonds is divided into several series. The records of some series are tendentiously arranged in chronological order.
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Kevin Soares, 2022
Bibliography
Linked resources
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