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Country
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IT
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Name of institution (English)
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State Archives of Modena
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Language of name of institution
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ita
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Contact information: postal address
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Corso Cavour 21, 41121 Modena
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Contact information: phone number
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0039 059230549
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Contact information: email
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as-mo@beniculturali.it
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Reference number
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Notai camerali
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Type of reference number
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Archival reference number
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Title (English)
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Chamber notaries
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Title (official language of the state)
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Notai camerali
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Language of title
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ita
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Creator / accumulator
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Notai camerali
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Date(s)
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1294/1805
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Language(s)
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ita
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lat
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Extent
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185 folders and 124 files
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Type of material
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Textual Material
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Physical condition
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Satisfactory
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Scope and content
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The Notai camerali fonds comprises the acts and deeds recorded by the notaries of the Camera marchionale estense, later Camera ducale estense. According to the functions of the Camera, this fonds contains essentially documentation of economic and financial nature. It is divided into three series: Protocolli dei notai ferraresi e modenesi della camera (Protocols of Ferrara and Modena's notaries of the Chamber, which includes some parchments); Rogiti camerali sciolti (Loose deeds of the Chamber, ordered by notary); and Miscellanea di rogiti camerali diversi (Miscellany of dispersed deeds of the Chamber, organised in various subseries without an explicit order).
There are some documents regarding Portuguese Jews and conversos settled in the Estense territories scattered throughout this fonds. Some examples are the following:
reg. 73: annotations regarding the constitution of a commercial company between Ercole II and the Portuguese merchant Estêvão Pires. March 22, 1541. Leoni, 2011.
reg. 62, fol. 181: Brianda de Luna requests the protection and support of Ercole II in the case of the inheritance of her husband and promises to reward him. May 21, 1550.
reg. 50, fol. 122: The Duke of Ferrara discharges the Portuguese of the obligation of carrying the Jews' distinctive sign. May 8, 1570. Published in Leoni (1998).
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Archival history
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The Notai camerali fonds is part of the Archivio camerale, one of the two distinct archives — the other was the Archivio segreto estense — that have always existed with the Este family. They were kept together in the Palazzo Ducale at least since the late 18th century. After the Italian unification, around 1862, both were transferred to the Archivio generale di deposito in Corso Cavour, which became the seat of the government archives, thus renamed Archivio governativo. This transfer marked the birth of the current Archivio di Stato di Modena, which was only so named after 1874.
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Administrative / Biographical history
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The "notai camerali" were officers of the Camera marchionale estense, later Camera ducale estense. The Camera is considered the oldest body in which the organisation of the Estense state took place. It was responsible for the administration of the income and expenses of every kind pertaining or related to the sovereign or the ruling family, and even individual members of the Este family. At least until the second half of the 18th century, the "fattori general" (general factors) headed the Camera. There was usually two "fattori", who served as proxies of the prince in economic and financial matters. They collegially constituted the Tribunale fattorale, and were assisted by other officers, including one or more "notai camerali" (Chamber notaries), who were responsible for drafting the deeds.
During the 18th century, the structure and functioning of the Camera suffered profound changes, particularly in matters of tax collection. In this framework of institutional renewal, the old system of general "fattori# and, therefore, the Camera government evolved to the Azienda camerale (Chamber treasury), a new structure with a president and councillors. In 1768, the Consiglio di economia (Council of Economics) was created, heading all offices and magistrates with economic and financial responsibilities.
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(source: Guida generale degli Archivi di Stato: Archivio di Stato di Modena)
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System of arrangement
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The first two series (Protocolli dei notai ferraresi e modenesi della camera and Rogiti camerali sciolti) are arranged by notary name, alphabetically ordered. The Miscellanea di rogiti camerali diversi series is not ordered.
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Author of the description
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Carla Vieira, 2022
