Inquisitori sopra l'università degli ebrei
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
Inquisitori sopra l'università degli ebrei
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Inquisitors for the Jewish community
Title (official language of the state)
Inquisitori sopra l'università degli ebrei
Language of title
ita
Creator / accumulator
Inquisitori sopra l'università degli ebrei
Date(s)
1722/1797
Language(s)
ita
Extent
50 storage units
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
This fonds comprises documentation produced by the Inquisitori sopra l'università degli ebrei (Inquisitors for the Jewish community). Only created in 1722, the amount of documentation produced by this body is relatively small compared to fonds from other institutions and magistracies of the Republic of Venice.
The fonds is composed of eight main series: Decreti (decrees, 1722-1796); Terminazioni (deliberations, 1722-1797); Scritture (deeds, 1722-1796); Lettere responsive al magistrato (written letters to the magistrates, 1722-1776); Multorum (literary, many, i.e. various documents, 1756-1768); Documenti diversi (different documents); Processi in originale e in copia (originals and copies of trials from the 15th century to 1801); and Documenti ebraici (Hebrew documents). Therefore, most of the documentation in this fonds specifically concerns the three Jewish communities of Venice, especially the Levantine Jews.
The Judaica Europeana project has undertaken an effort to digitalise and make available the records of this fonds and others with Jewish-related materials. So far, digital copies of the following units are available on the platform:
100: "Registro decreti da 1722 19 settembre sino 1796 26 agosto" (decrees from September 19, 1772, to August 26, 1796), 144 records;
301: "Terminazioni da 23 settembre 1722 sino 10 febraro 1758" (deliberations from September 23, 1722 to February 10, 1758), 165 records;
302: "Terminazioni da 1759 28 marzo sino 1789 7 giugno" (deliberations from March 28, 1759 to June 7, 1789), 161 records;
303: "Registro terminazioni e lettere dell'Inquisitorato sopra l'università degli ebrei, da primo aprile 1789 fino ..." (deliberations and letters of the Inquisitors for the Jews communities, from April 29, 1789 to January 26, 1797), 363 files;
304: "Terminazioni con inserti relativi documenti da 2 ottobre 1777 sino 1 aprile 1784" (deliberations with related documents from October 2, 1777 to April 1, 1784), 795 records.
The fonds is composed of eight main series: Decreti (decrees, 1722-1796); Terminazioni (deliberations, 1722-1797); Scritture (deeds, 1722-1796); Lettere responsive al magistrato (written letters to the magistrates, 1722-1776); Multorum (literary, many, i.e. various documents, 1756-1768); Documenti diversi (different documents); Processi in originale e in copia (originals and copies of trials from the 15th century to 1801); and Documenti ebraici (Hebrew documents). Therefore, most of the documentation in this fonds specifically concerns the three Jewish communities of Venice, especially the Levantine Jews.
The Judaica Europeana project has undertaken an effort to digitalise and make available the records of this fonds and others with Jewish-related materials. So far, digital copies of the following units are available on the platform:
100: "Registro decreti da 1722 19 settembre sino 1796 26 agosto" (decrees from September 19, 1772, to August 26, 1796), 144 records;
301: "Terminazioni da 23 settembre 1722 sino 10 febraro 1758" (deliberations from September 23, 1722 to February 10, 1758), 165 records;
302: "Terminazioni da 1759 28 marzo sino 1789 7 giugno" (deliberations from March 28, 1759 to June 7, 1789), 161 records;
303: "Registro terminazioni e lettere dell'Inquisitorato sopra l'università degli ebrei, da primo aprile 1789 fino ..." (deliberations and letters of the Inquisitors for the Jews communities, from April 29, 1789 to January 26, 1797), 363 files;
304: "Terminazioni con inserti relativi documenti da 2 ottobre 1777 sino 1 aprile 1784" (deliberations with related documents from October 2, 1777 to April 1, 1784), 795 records.
Archival history
The Inquisitori sopra l'università degli ebrei were one of the magistracies created by the Senate. Therefore, they were part of the institutional body of the Republic of Venice.
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 the Quarantia (Council of Forty). In 1271 and 1272, new orders determined that all "avogadori" (magistrates) should return any documents that they eventually had in their possession for their own personal use to the Doge's archives.
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 the 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, with proper officials, probably became a reality in this period.
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 and stored in three main buildings: political documentation was transferred to the Scuola di S. Teodoro, judicial documentation was transferred to the Convent of S. Giovanni Laterano, and the documentation related to state and financial matters was deposited at S. Provolo.
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.
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 the Quarantia (Council of Forty). In 1271 and 1272, new orders determined that all "avogadori" (magistrates) should return any documents that they eventually had in their possession for their own personal use to the Doge's archives.
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 the 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, with proper officials, probably became a reality in this period.
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 and stored in three main buildings: political documentation was transferred to the Scuola di S. Teodoro, judicial documentation was transferred to the Convent of S. Giovanni Laterano, and the documentation related to state and financial matters was deposited at S. Provolo.
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 Inquisitori sopra l'università degli ebrei (Inquisitors for the Jewish community) were established by the Senate on September 19, 1722, to supervise and control the Università degli ebrei (Jewish community of Venice), which included three different groups: Levantine Jews (Eastern Sephardim), Ponentine Jews (Western Sephardim) and German Jews (Ashkenazim).
The action of the Inquisitori focused especially on financial matters related to the three Jewish communities, at a time when they were facing a harsh economic crisis resulting from financial struggles in their three "banchi di prestito" (pawnbrokers).
In the exercise of their functions, the Inquisitori made agreements with foreign Jews regarding taxes and interfered in the Jewish communities, especially apropos of their financial obligations. In some occasions, they acted jointly with the Magistrato al cattaver (magistrates of the cattaver), the Savi alla mercanzia (the wise men for trade) and other magistrates.
The action of the Inquisitori focused especially on financial matters related to the three Jewish communities, at a time when they were facing a harsh economic crisis resulting from financial struggles in their three "banchi di prestito" (pawnbrokers).
In the exercise of their functions, the Inquisitori made agreements with foreign Jews regarding taxes and interfered in the Jewish communities, especially apropos of their financial obligations. In some occasions, they acted jointly with the Magistrato al cattaver (magistrates of the cattaver), the Savi alla mercanzia (the wise men for trade) and other magistrates.
Access points: locations
Access points: corporate bodies
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
The fonds is divided into series, according to types of documents.
Access, restrictions
Some records are available on the Judaica Europeana platform.
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Kevin Soares, 2022
Published primary sources
Linked resources
Filter by property
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Archivio di Stato di Venezia | Collections (official language of the state) |