Cinque savi alla mercanzia e Deputati al commercio
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
Cinque savi alla mercanzia
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Board of Trade
Title (official language of the state)
Cinque savi alla mercanzia e Deputati al commercio
Language of title
ita
Creator / accumulator
Cinque savi alla mercanzia
Deputati al commercio
Date(s)
1540/1797
Language(s)
ita
Extent
135.87 linear metres (1,130 storage units)
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Good
Scope and content
The Cinque savi alla mercanzia fonds contains documents related to commercial, economic and maritime activities of the Republic of Venice. It includes "capitolari" (chapters), "terminazioni" (decrees, resolutions); documents concerning the relation with other councils such as the Parti del Senato (Senate) and the Consiglio dei Dieci (Council of Ten); letters, writings; documentation about
taxes on goods, anchoring, and others; diplomatic documentation, namely dispatches sent by Consoli Veneti all'estero (Venetian Consuls abroad) and deeds related to foreign consuls residing in Venice or to agriculture, manufactures and industries of Venice; documentation about the restoration and surveillance of roads, bridges and canals; about the maritime and land trade and related activities; as well as insurance companies. It also contains documentation about specific communities of Venice, the Fondaco dei Tedeschi (building in the Rialto area destined to the German merchants that lived in the city), Turks and Jews.
The documentation concerning Jewish communities is abundant. For instance, it includes information about the debts of Abraham Pardo Roques, Isaac Abendana and Emanuel Belilios in Livorno and Venice, on July 24, 1756 (reg. 185, fols. 102r–103r); or about the arrest of Isaac Belilios, son of Emanuel, by the Venetian consul in Aleppo, in June 1756, in order to ensure the payment of his creditors in Europe (reg. 603, folder “Aleppo”). Other examples are records related to the defense of certain privileges held by Levantine and Ponentine Jewish merchants in Venice, such as the case presented by Daniel Rodriga on November 26, 1583 (reg. 137, fols. 96v-97v; and the answer of the Savi, fols. 135v-136); as well as other proposals of Daniel Rodriga regarding the importance of the Jewish merchants to Venice's maritime trade, on March 18, 1587 (reg. 138, 1-1v), or when he requested a loan of 10000 ducats for the exploration of new routs to Durrës and Thessaloniki, on October 22, 1597 (b. 139 (risposte), fols. 169v.-170)
taxes on goods, anchoring, and others; diplomatic documentation, namely dispatches sent by Consoli Veneti all'estero (Venetian Consuls abroad) and deeds related to foreign consuls residing in Venice or to agriculture, manufactures and industries of Venice; documentation about the restoration and surveillance of roads, bridges and canals; about the maritime and land trade and related activities; as well as insurance companies. It also contains documentation about specific communities of Venice, the Fondaco dei Tedeschi (building in the Rialto area destined to the German merchants that lived in the city), Turks and Jews.
The documentation concerning Jewish communities is abundant. For instance, it includes information about the debts of Abraham Pardo Roques, Isaac Abendana and Emanuel Belilios in Livorno and Venice, on July 24, 1756 (reg. 185, fols. 102r–103r); or about the arrest of Isaac Belilios, son of Emanuel, by the Venetian consul in Aleppo, in June 1756, in order to ensure the payment of his creditors in Europe (reg. 603, folder “Aleppo”). Other examples are records related to the defense of certain privileges held by Levantine and Ponentine Jewish merchants in Venice, such as the case presented by Daniel Rodriga on November 26, 1583 (reg. 137, fols. 96v-97v; and the answer of the Savi, fols. 135v-136); as well as other proposals of Daniel Rodriga regarding the importance of the Jewish merchants to Venice's maritime trade, on March 18, 1587 (reg. 138, 1-1v), or when he requested a loan of 10000 ducats for the exploration of new routs to Durrës and Thessaloniki, on October 22, 1597 (b. 139 (risposte), fols. 169v.-170)
Archival history
The Cinque savi alla mercanzia was one of the institutions of the Republic of Venice, created by the Senate for economic and commercial affairs. Its activity ceased in 1797 with the fall of the Republic of Venice.
The existence of the Archives of the Republic is unquestionably known since the 13th century. After 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 existence of the Archives of the Republic is unquestionably known since the 13th century. After 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 Cinque savi alla mercanzia (literally, the five wise men for trade) was a college created by the Senate on January 15, 1507. In the 16th century, the jurisdiction of this new institution was gradually increased until it included all areas related to the economic life of the Republic of Venice. From 1541 onwards, its jurisdiction came also to include the responsibility over the Jewish communities of the Levant who lived in the ghetto of Venice.
This college had under its jurisdiction a broad area of crucial importance for the Republic of Venice related to commerce, navigation, "arti" (craft guilds) and industries. They had advisory capacity on matters such as the "dazi", "dogane" and "cottimi" (taxes and fees on imported and exported goods), shipwrecks, maritime insurances, "sensali" (brokers or business matchmakers), the repression of contraband, the tobacco monopoly, main roads, agriculture and commercial treaties. They also kept close contact with Venetian consuls in foreign states and with foreign consuls in Venice.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, as an advisory body, the Council often acted in conference with other magistrates. On November 29, 1703, the Senate decided to add two other "savi" (wise men) to this college, who together with three adjuncts that were added in 1682, formed the Deputati al commercio (Deputies to commerce). This decision was ratified by the Maggior Consiglio (Major Council), on December 16, 1708, and was expected to reinvigorate the commercial activity. The new organ lasted until 1756, acting both independently and together with the Cinque savi alla mercanzia.
After the fall of the Republic of Venice in 1797, the responsibilities of the extinct Council of the Cinque savi alla mercanzia were entrusted to different institutions, until the affirmation of the Chambers of Commerce.
This college had under its jurisdiction a broad area of crucial importance for the Republic of Venice related to commerce, navigation, "arti" (craft guilds) and industries. They had advisory capacity on matters such as the "dazi", "dogane" and "cottimi" (taxes and fees on imported and exported goods), shipwrecks, maritime insurances, "sensali" (brokers or business matchmakers), the repression of contraband, the tobacco monopoly, main roads, agriculture and commercial treaties. They also kept close contact with Venetian consuls in foreign states and with foreign consuls in Venice.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, as an advisory body, the Council often acted in conference with other magistrates. On November 29, 1703, the Senate decided to add two other "savi" (wise men) to this college, who together with three adjuncts that were added in 1682, formed the Deputati al commercio (Deputies to commerce). This decision was ratified by the Maggior Consiglio (Major Council), on December 16, 1708, and was expected to reinvigorate the commercial activity. The new organ lasted until 1756, acting both independently and together with the Cinque savi alla mercanzia.
After the fall of the Republic of Venice in 1797, the responsibilities of the extinct Council of the Cinque savi alla mercanzia were entrusted to different institutions, until the affirmation of the Chambers of Commerce.
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: corporate bodies
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
The fond is divided into five different series and each one is classified by subjects internally. The five series are: the Prima serie (first series, 1540-1797), the Seconda serie (second series, 1540-1797), the Miscellanea (Miscellany, 1540-1797), Registri (registers, 1770-1797) and Cinque savi alla mercanzia. Miscellanea (this series was added in 2008 provisionally and further ordination and final classification).
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Kevin Soares, 2022
Bibliography
Published primary sources
Linked resources
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