Tribunale della nunziatura apostolica
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
Tribunale della nunziatura
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Court of the Apostolic Nunciature
Title (official language of the state)
Tribunale della nunziatura apostolica
Language of title
ita
Creator / accumulator
Tribunale della nunziatura apostolica
Date(s)
1560/1788
Language(s)
ita
lat
Extent
1,019 storage units
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
The Tribunale della nunziatura apostolica fonds comprises documentation produced as a result of the functioning of this court. Its activity is reflected in the series of records that compose this fonds, namely: Sentenze (sentences); Manuali d'Atti (books of acts); Atti civili (civil acts); Atti criminali (criminal acts); Manuali di cause di spogli (books on seizure's cases); Cause di spogli (seizure's cases); Processi diversi (various trials); Cause delegate (delegated cases); Monitori (procedures); Registri di suppliche (pleas' records); Lettere (letters); Dispense (exemptions); Fascio di licenze di diverse epoche (folder with licenses from various periods); Commissioni (commisions).
Since the Tribunale della nunziatura apostolica intervened in religious matters, especially those related to the repression of heresy, its fonds contains references to Iberian Jews tried in Tuscany. For instance, book 842, which contains records on criminal acts from 1565 to 1568, includes the case of Isaia Cohen, a former Portuguese New Christian converted to Judaism, who was accused in 1566. Then, he alleged in his favour the privilege that Cosimo I had issued for Portuguese Jews who had been Christians in the past.
Since the Tribunale della nunziatura apostolica intervened in religious matters, especially those related to the repression of heresy, its fonds contains references to Iberian Jews tried in Tuscany. For instance, book 842, which contains records on criminal acts from 1565 to 1568, includes the case of Isaia Cohen, a former Portuguese New Christian converted to Judaism, who was accused in 1566. Then, he alleged in his favour the privilege that Cosimo I had issued for Portuguese Jews who had been Christians in the past.
Archival history
The Tribunale della nunziatura apostolica fonds was integrated into the Archivio di Stato di Firenze at the moment of its creation in 1852, together with other collections pertaining to the Medici period. Francesco Bonaini, appointed director of the new Archivio di Stato, was charged with providing the arrangement of the incorporated collections in order to make them available to the public. Bonaini wished to highlight the historical character of the archive, therefore he arranged the collections to reflect the history of Florence and Tuscany. Thus, the archives of the Republican era were followed by those of the Medici Principato and that of the Lorenese period. This effort to organise the collections gathered in the new archive is reflected in the production of the inventory of the Tribunale della nunziatura apostolica, finished on November 10, 1854. A digital copy of this handwritten inventory is available online on the archive's website and is still in use.
On November 4, 1966, a flood seriously damaged several documentary collections of the archive, including the Tribunale della nunziatura apostolica fonds, which missed numerous records (see information in Access, restrictions below).
On November 4, 1966, a flood seriously damaged several documentary collections of the archive, including the Tribunale della nunziatura apostolica fonds, which missed numerous records (see information in Access, restrictions below).
Administrative / Biographical history
In 1560, Cosimo I and Pope Pius IV decided to establish a permanent representation of Rome in Florence. The apostolic nunciature in the city covered both the intention of Pius IV to boost the participation of Tuscan bishops in the Council of Trent and the will of the Grand Duke to strengthen a privileged connection to Rome. Giovanni Campeggi, the Bishop of Bologna, was appointed to be the first nuncio in Florence. However, he soon was replaced by Giorgio Corner, the Bishop of Treviso. During Corner's mission, the nunciature was provided with a chancellery and a court, the Tribunale della nunziatura apostolica. Besides having jurisdiction over cases involving members of the secular and regular clergy, Corner also dedicated himself to the repression of heresy. As an appeal court, the Tribunale played a mediator role between the Grand Duke, the Florentine inquisitors and the Holy Office. The nuncio's intervention in questions of faith was limited during the mission of Bernardino Bresegna, who was appointed in 1565. Since then, this intervention required the previous authorisation of Rome.
If the first years of the nunciature of Florence were marked by a close and harmonious relationship between the Grand Duke and the Holy See, after Ferdinando I had risen to power, this connection gradually deteriorated, and conflicts between Florence and Rome became more and more common.
The Tribunale della nunziatura apostolica operated until 1788, when it was extinct on September 20.
If the first years of the nunciature of Florence were marked by a close and harmonious relationship between the Grand Duke and the Holy See, after Ferdinando I had risen to power, this connection gradually deteriorated, and conflicts between Florence and Rome became more and more common.
The Tribunale della nunziatura apostolica operated until 1788, when it was extinct on September 20.
Access points: locations
Access points: corporate bodies
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
The fonds is divided into series, whose records are numbered sequentially and arranged by chronological order.
Access, restrictions
The following records are not available for consultation, since they are missing or damaged: 6, 43, 62, 73, 638, 691, 816-1818, 844-845, 850, 901, 903, 952, 960, 962, 964, 966, 968, 973, and 982.
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2021
Linked resources
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