Dogana
Item
Country
IT
Name of institution (English)
State Archives of Livorno
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
ita
Contact information: postal address
Palazzo del Governo, Via Fiume 40, 57123 Livorno
Contact information: phone number
0039 0586897776
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
as-li@beniculturali.it
Reference number
Dogana
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Customs House
Title (official language of the state)
Dogana
Language of title
ita
Creator / accumulator
Dogana
Date(s)
1633/1847
Language(s)
ita
Extent
29 storage units (27 files and records, and 2 repertories)
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
The Dogana fonds comprises documentation produced or related to the customs house operating in Livorno since the 15th century. However, the records that survived to the present day only date back to the 17th century. The fonds is divided into five series: Rescritti e ordini del servizio di facchinagio (records regarding porterage services); Affari generali e particolari (general and particular affairs, which comprises the major part of the records); Mastri giornalieri delle decime (annual registers of daily incomes); Indice degli affari (two indexes of the Dogana's affairs); and Piante e documenti fuori formato estratti dalle filze (plants and oversized documents).
Although this fonds only comprises a small part of the original Dogana's archive (see Archival history), it is still an essential source of information regarding Livorno's economic life in the 17th and 18th centuries and, in particular, on the flourishing trade activity of its port. Therefore, the fonds contains some scattered information on Sephardic merchants operating in Livorno, for instance, David Franco Albuquerque, agent of his brother-in-law Isach de Paz in Livorno, a sugar refiner and merchant (4, no. 182); or Jacob Ergas, son of Rafael Ergas, who returned to Livorno in 1715 after 17 years living in England (6, no. 320).
Although this fonds only comprises a small part of the original Dogana's archive (see Archival history), it is still an essential source of information regarding Livorno's economic life in the 17th and 18th centuries and, in particular, on the flourishing trade activity of its port. Therefore, the fonds contains some scattered information on Sephardic merchants operating in Livorno, for instance, David Franco Albuquerque, agent of his brother-in-law Isach de Paz in Livorno, a sugar refiner and merchant (4, no. 182); or Jacob Ergas, son of Rafael Ergas, who returned to Livorno in 1715 after 17 years living in England (6, no. 320).
Archival history
The documentation that survived to the present day in the Dogana fonds is only a very small part of the whole records produced by this institution. In 1877, numerous wagons loaded with archival material, including Dogana's records, was sent to a paper mill in Como and destroyed. The remaining Dogana's documentation was transferred from the Intendenza di Finanza to the Archivio Storico Cittadino at the time of its foundation, in 1899. Then, it was divided into three parts, incorporated respectively into the Intendenza di Finanza, Governatore and Communità fonds. In 1941, the Archivio di Stato di Livorno opened, and most of the documentary materials collected in the Archivio Storico Cittadino by Professor Pietro Vigo (including the remaining records of the Dogana) was then transferred to the new archive.
In the late 1950s, Giulio Prunai rearranged the Dogana records as an individual fonds and compiled an inventory. In 2004, a team headed by Massimo Sanacore revised Prunai's inventory and divided the Dogana fonds into series.
In the late 1950s, Giulio Prunai rearranged the Dogana records as an individual fonds and compiled an inventory. In 2004, a team headed by Massimo Sanacore revised Prunai's inventory and divided the Dogana fonds into series.
Administrative / Biographical history
Since the early 15th century, a Dogana (customs house) served the port complex of Livorno, called Porto Pisano until the early decades of the 16th century. Its first regulations date back to 1451. In 1544, Cosimo I reformed the old Dogana of Livorno and built a new building to this body near the Porta Nova. In 1605, Grand Duke Ferdinando I relocated it to the Via del Lauro.
During the first half of the 16th century, the Dogana of Livorno was entrusted to a "doganiere" (customs officer), employed by and under the dependence of the Dogana of Pisa. In 1565, Grand Duke Cosimo I established that Livorno would become the only seaport for Pisa's merchants. It also ordered the Dogana of Livorno to be managed by a provveditore (administrator) and operated under the Consoli del Mare di Pisa's direct dependence. With Grand Duke Ferdinand I, the Dogana was put under the governor's control, who transmitted the orders and instructions from the central offices. This dependence was maintained, albeit indirectly, by the Lorraine government during the 18th century.
Since the early 17th century, the Dogana was composed of a provveditore, a sotto-provveditore (sub-administrator), a doganiere, a treasurer, three supervisors, three guards, thirty "facchini" (porters) and a gate keeper. The Dogana was the first governmental body in Livorno with an organised staff.
Over time, new tasks were assigned to the Dogana and other bodies became under its dependence, namely: the R. Scrittoio dei Grani, which managed the warehouses of salt, tobacco, grains, flours, etc.; the Deputazione del Legname, which supervised the timber for the construction of warships; the organisations of brokers and cashiers; the Magistrato di Sanità (health magistrate) and, since 1646, the Deputazione sopra le Decime (tithes office).
The office of provveditore was abolished after the introduction of the general contract of State revenues in 1740. Then, his competencies were divided between the contractors (the administrative functions) and the auditor (the judicial power).
In 1868, the whole Dogana's administration became under the control of the Ministry of Finance. The Dogana of Livorno formed a section responsible for managing the city gates and sea border and supervising the local trade companies, the tobacco business, the goods' stamps and the revenues of Portoferraio.
During the first half of the 16th century, the Dogana of Livorno was entrusted to a "doganiere" (customs officer), employed by and under the dependence of the Dogana of Pisa. In 1565, Grand Duke Cosimo I established that Livorno would become the only seaport for Pisa's merchants. It also ordered the Dogana of Livorno to be managed by a provveditore (administrator) and operated under the Consoli del Mare di Pisa's direct dependence. With Grand Duke Ferdinand I, the Dogana was put under the governor's control, who transmitted the orders and instructions from the central offices. This dependence was maintained, albeit indirectly, by the Lorraine government during the 18th century.
Since the early 17th century, the Dogana was composed of a provveditore, a sotto-provveditore (sub-administrator), a doganiere, a treasurer, three supervisors, three guards, thirty "facchini" (porters) and a gate keeper. The Dogana was the first governmental body in Livorno with an organised staff.
Over time, new tasks were assigned to the Dogana and other bodies became under its dependence, namely: the R. Scrittoio dei Grani, which managed the warehouses of salt, tobacco, grains, flours, etc.; the Deputazione del Legname, which supervised the timber for the construction of warships; the organisations of brokers and cashiers; the Magistrato di Sanità (health magistrate) and, since 1646, the Deputazione sopra le Decime (tithes office).
The office of provveditore was abolished after the introduction of the general contract of State revenues in 1740. Then, his competencies were divided between the contractors (the administrative functions) and the auditor (the judicial power).
In 1868, the whole Dogana's administration became under the control of the Ministry of Finance. The Dogana of Livorno formed a section responsible for managing the city gates and sea border and supervising the local trade companies, the tobacco business, the goods' stamps and the revenues of Portoferraio.
Access points: locations
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
The fonds is divided into five series. The records of each of them are arranged chronologically.
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2021
Bibliography
Linked resources
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