Patrimoniale
Item
Country
IT
Name of institution (English)
Municipal Historical Archive of Ferrara
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
ita
Contact information: postal address
Via Giuoco del Pallone 8, 44121 Ferrara
Contact information: phone number
0039 0532418243
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
mezzetti.ariostea@edu.comune.fe.it
Reference number
Patrimoniale
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Patrimonial
Title (official language of the state)
Patrimoniale
Language of title
ita
Creator / accumulator
Archivio Comunale di Ferrara
Date(s)
1213/1796
Language(s)
ita
lat
Extent
400 boxes
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Good
Scope and content
The Patrimoniale series gathers the oldest records of the Archivio storico comunale produced by the municipal authorities. In the 1760s-1770s, the Patrimoniale was separated from its original series and rearranged in chronological order by the notaries Diego Bonafini and Pietro Casaroli. Therefore, this series includes precious information on Ferrara at the time of the arrival and settlement of New Christian exiles from Portugal and Spain and, thus, it reports the golden age of the "nação portuguesa" (Portuguese nation) of Ferrara in the 16th century. A special mention should be made to the "Libro delle Deliberazione dell'Ill.mo Maestrato della Città di Ferrara dell'anno 1506 all'anno 1521", which includes Alfonso I's deliberation confirming the decree in favour of the Iberian Jews, previously given by his father Ercole I, allowing them to settle in Ferrara on April 3, 1507 (see Leoni, 2011).
Archival history
The Archivio Storico Comunale di Ferrara is divided into two parts: the Archivio antico (old archive), comprising documentation from the late 14th century to 1796; and the Archivio moderno (modern archive), with later records. Documentation produced in the early times of the city of Ferrara was destroyed during a popular revolt in 1385 and, for this reason, the Archivio antico only includes documentation from 1393 onwards, with the exception of a few individual documents.
The current structure of the fonds of the Archivio Storico Comunale results from several reorganisation and inventory interventions carried out since the 18th century. Between 1768 and 1777, the notaries Diego Bonafini and Pietro Casarol undertook a first intervention on the arrangement of the archive's documents. This intervention transformed the original organisation of the series produced by the city magistrates. All records were detached from the original series and rearranged in chronological order. This operation was followed by the production of a double catalogue: one organised by subject and the other by chronology. This catalogue remains the finding aid used today to access this archive's section, which is currently referred to as the Patrimoniale series. In 1832-1838, a new archive organisation was commissioned to Nicola Giori. He kept the previous arrangement and completed the Patrimoniale series with records up to 1796.
The old section of the Archivio Comunale, including the Patrimoniale series, was deposited at the Archivio di Stato di Ferrara in 1962. However, in 2008 it returned to the Comune of Ferrara and, since then, the archive was renamed Archivio Storico Comunale.
The current structure of the fonds of the Archivio Storico Comunale results from several reorganisation and inventory interventions carried out since the 18th century. Between 1768 and 1777, the notaries Diego Bonafini and Pietro Casarol undertook a first intervention on the arrangement of the archive's documents. This intervention transformed the original organisation of the series produced by the city magistrates. All records were detached from the original series and rearranged in chronological order. This operation was followed by the production of a double catalogue: one organised by subject and the other by chronology. This catalogue remains the finding aid used today to access this archive's section, which is currently referred to as the Patrimoniale series. In 1832-1838, a new archive organisation was commissioned to Nicola Giori. He kept the previous arrangement and completed the Patrimoniale series with records up to 1796.
The old section of the Archivio Comunale, including the Patrimoniale series, was deposited at the Archivio di Stato di Ferrara in 1962. However, in 2008 it returned to the Comune of Ferrara and, since then, the archive was renamed Archivio Storico Comunale.
Administrative / Biographical history
In 1474, Ercole I incorporated the municipal magistracy of the Dodici Savi within the building complex of the Palazzo ducale, thus sealing his authority as territorial sovereign. This move coincides with the urban reorganisation of the institutional seats of public authorities undertaken by Ercole I. Then, the Palazzo ducale also became the home of the records produced and accumulated by the municipal authorities over time.
The documentary heritage preserved until the present days dates back to 1393. Then, the Dodici savi (literally, the twelve wise men) council was undertaken a slow and challenging reorganisation eight years after the violent anti-Este popular revolt. On May 3, 1385, Tomaso da Tortona, the "giudice dei savi" (judge of the wise men), had been murdered, lynched and burned over a pile of tax records on the municipal square in front of the San Romano street. Then, the original collection of the municipal archive was destroyed.
Subsequent events, such as earthquakes, fires, government changes, wars and human neglect, led to the damage and loss of important documents. In 1598, the departure of the Duke of Este and the displacement of the Estense archive to Modena also dislocated from Ferrara an essential source of information regarding the city's history.
In 1962, the Comune of Ferrara transferred its Archivio Comunale Antico to the Archivio di Stato di Ferrara. This collection ended up returning to the municipal archive only in 2008. Then, it had a new headquarter in via Giuoco del Pallone, to when it was transferred from the Town Hall in 2005. The Archivio Comunale reopened to the public in May 2006. After reincorporating its oldest records, the archive was renamed Archivio Storico Comunale.
The documentary heritage preserved until the present days dates back to 1393. Then, the Dodici savi (literally, the twelve wise men) council was undertaken a slow and challenging reorganisation eight years after the violent anti-Este popular revolt. On May 3, 1385, Tomaso da Tortona, the "giudice dei savi" (judge of the wise men), had been murdered, lynched and burned over a pile of tax records on the municipal square in front of the San Romano street. Then, the original collection of the municipal archive was destroyed.
Subsequent events, such as earthquakes, fires, government changes, wars and human neglect, led to the damage and loss of important documents. In 1598, the departure of the Duke of Este and the displacement of the Estense archive to Modena also dislocated from Ferrara an essential source of information regarding the city's history.
In 1962, the Comune of Ferrara transferred its Archivio Comunale Antico to the Archivio di Stato di Ferrara. This collection ended up returning to the municipal archive only in 2008. Then, it had a new headquarter in via Giuoco del Pallone, to when it was transferred from the Town Hall in 2005. The Archivio Comunale reopened to the public in May 2006. After reincorporating its oldest records, the archive was renamed Archivio Storico Comunale.
Access points: locations
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
Records are arranged chronologically.
Finding aids
Unpublished finding aids available in the archive:
18th-century catalogue of the Patrimoniale series: 13 volumes, including an inventory organised by subject (6 vols.), a chronological inventory (6 vols.), and an alphabetic index (1 vol.).
"Avvertenze per l'uso degli strumenti di corredo del fondo Archivio Storico Comunale, Serie patrimoniale". 20th century (typewritten document).
Existence and location of copies
A copy of Alfonso I's deliberation on April 3, 1507, in Libro delle Deliberazione dell'Ill.mo Maestrato della Città di Ferrara dell'anno 1506 all'anno 1521 is in the Archivio di Stato di Modena, Ebrei 19.
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2022
Published primary sources
Linked resources
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| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Archivio Storico Comunale di Ferrara | Collections (official language of the state) |