Auditore dei Benefici ecclesiastici poi Segreteria del Regio Diritto
Item
Country
IT
Name of institution (English)
State Archives of Florence
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
ita
Contact information: postal address
Viale Giovine Italia 6, 50122 Florence
Contact information: phone number
0039 055263201
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
asfi@archiviodistato.firenze.it
Reference number
Auditore dei Benefici ecclesiastici / Segreteria del Regio Diritto
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Auditor of the Ecclesiastic Benefits, later Secretariat of the Royal Law
Title (official language of the state)
Auditore dei Benefici ecclesiastici poi Segreteria del Regio Diritto
Language of title
ita
Creator / accumulator
Auditore dei Benefici ecclesiastici
Segreteria del Regio Diritto
Date(s)
1544/1848
Language(s)
ita
Extent
6,172 storage units
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
The Auditore dei Benefici ecclesiastici poi Segreteria del Regio Diritto fonds comprises diverse documentation in terms of typology and subjects. This diversity reflects the broad range of duties undertaken by both institutions that produced and preserved these records, as well as their relation with other entities, such as the Commissione ecclesiastica regolare, the Ufficio di Stato Civile or the Deputazione sopra i monasteri. Therefore, the fonds includes records regarding the control and protection of the Medici and Lorenese states' jurisdictions, mainly in relation to the ecclesiastical authority. The most consistent series of this fonds is the "Negozi beneficiali e giurisdizionali" (Beneficial and jurisdictional affairs), which gathers about 4,000 units. Besides that, the fonds also includes records regarding the extinction and restoration of convents and monasteries, pleas addressed to the Grand Duke, accounts of religious entities, reports, and documentation concerning the management of ecclesiastical benefits. The fonds also contains a miscellaneous series composed of records incorporated at different times.
Dispersed among this large fonds, there are a few relevant records with evidence on the settlement of Jewish communities in Tuscan territories, as well as related to Jewish merchants operating in the Grand Duchy, particularly the Sephardic ones . Some examples are the following:
36: letter by Ferdinando I, in 1595, expressing his concern on the rumours that Portuguese New Christians came to Pisa to be circumcised and live as Jews (fol. 2). In 1602, the Grand Duke defended himself from the assumption that Portuguese Jews committed apostasy in Pisa. Thus, he continued to give his protection to the Jewish community (fol. 3).
79 and 437: contain documents regarding the foundation of a small Jewish community in Arezzo, composed of Jews coming from Florence and involved in the tobacco business. The community's synagogue opened in 1666.
6146, August 22, 1678: David Telles and Angelo Fano, two Jews from Modena, contracted the general subcontractor of tobacco for all states of the Grand Duchy.
Dispersed among this large fonds, there are a few relevant records with evidence on the settlement of Jewish communities in Tuscan territories, as well as related to Jewish merchants operating in the Grand Duchy, particularly the Sephardic ones . Some examples are the following:
36: letter by Ferdinando I, in 1595, expressing his concern on the rumours that Portuguese New Christians came to Pisa to be circumcised and live as Jews (fol. 2). In 1602, the Grand Duke defended himself from the assumption that Portuguese Jews committed apostasy in Pisa. Thus, he continued to give his protection to the Jewish community (fol. 3).
79 and 437: contain documents regarding the foundation of a small Jewish community in Arezzo, composed of Jews coming from Florence and involved in the tobacco business. The community's synagogue opened in 1666.
6146, August 22, 1678: David Telles and Angelo Fano, two Jews from Modena, contracted the general subcontractor of tobacco for all states of the Grand Duchy.
Archival history
The fonds that comprises the documentation produced by the Auditore dei benefici ecclesiastici, during the Medici era, and the Segreteria del regio diritto, in the Lorenese period, was organised as a unique collection until the mid-19th century. It was also enriched with records from other institutions, such as the Commissione per il restauro delle chiese parrocchiali (Commision for the restoration of parish churches), extinct on October 2, 1844.
The records were under the custody of the Segreteria del regio diritto until March 6, 1848, when this organism was suppressed and its archive delivered to the Ministero di Grazia e Giustizia.
Part of the Auditore dei benefici ecclesiastici fonds was incorporated into the Archivio Centrale di Stato di Firenze at the moment of its creation, in 1852, together with other records and collections from the Medici period. Other part of the fonds was transferred to the new state archives in February 1865. At the time, the documents dating between 1738 and 1814 from the archives of the extinct ministries of the Affari ecclesiastici and the Grazia e Giustizia were arranged and transferred to the Archivio di Stato. Only the records from 1814 to 1847 of the Segretaria del regio diritto fonds remained in the facilities of the Ministero di Grazia e Giustizia e dei Culti. The last incorporation took place in 1871, after the Ministero dell'Istruzione pubblica approved the transference of the remaining documents preserved in the Ministero di Grazia e Giustizia e dei Culti to the Archivio Centrale di Stato. However, the fonds' unity was not restored since the division by political-institutional periods continued in vigour.
The records were under the custody of the Segreteria del regio diritto until March 6, 1848, when this organism was suppressed and its archive delivered to the Ministero di Grazia e Giustizia.
Part of the Auditore dei benefici ecclesiastici fonds was incorporated into the Archivio Centrale di Stato di Firenze at the moment of its creation, in 1852, together with other records and collections from the Medici period. Other part of the fonds was transferred to the new state archives in February 1865. At the time, the documents dating between 1738 and 1814 from the archives of the extinct ministries of the Affari ecclesiastici and the Grazia e Giustizia were arranged and transferred to the Archivio di Stato. Only the records from 1814 to 1847 of the Segretaria del regio diritto fonds remained in the facilities of the Ministero di Grazia e Giustizia e dei Culti. The last incorporation took place in 1871, after the Ministero dell'Istruzione pubblica approved the transference of the remaining documents preserved in the Ministero di Grazia e Giustizia e dei Culti to the Archivio Centrale di Stato. However, the fonds' unity was not restored since the division by political-institutional periods continued in vigour.
Administrative / Biographical history
Since 1546, matters relating to the Grand Duke's jurisdiction were delivered to a single officer. The Auditore dei Benefici ecclesiastici (auditor for the ecclesiastical benefits) was responsible for protecting the jurisdiction of the prince from interference by other authorities and supervising officials and magistrates. Soon, the Auditore's competencies gradually focused on the relations between civil and ecclesiastical jurisdictions, in particular the defence of the Grand Duke's rights in relation to the Roman Curia and Tuscan religious institutions.
The ecclesiastical benefits were always a particularly controversial subject. The deans could not take possession of the benefits without a license issued by the Auditore. Thus, the Grand Duke kept control over the local churches' patrimony. However, the complex set of interests involved within the benefits created constant conflicts and disputes. Other competencies of the Auditore consisted of validating the applicability of acts issued by ecclesiastical authorities in the Grand Duchy's territories, exercising the role of the supreme judge in ecclesiastical matters, controlling the relation of the local deans with other jurisdictions, and safeguarding the Grand Duchy's borders.
Grand Duke Cosimo III established the Congregazione per gli affari giurisdizionali (Congregation for Jurisdictional Affairs), composed of the Auditore and three members chosen by the Grand Duke. The creation of this commission was part of a more general policy of Cosimo III to establish collegial bodies in other areas.
In 1737, the Lorenese regency abolished the Auditore dei Benefici ecclesiastici. Its competencies were then assigned to the new Segreteria del Regio Diritto (Secretariat of the Royal Law). Over time, the prerogatives of the office were redefined and expanded. During the Napoleonic domination, the Segretaria was temporarily suppressed between 1808 and 1814. After the Restaurazione, it assumed the direction of the Ufficio di Stato Civile (Civil State Office) in 1817.
On March 16, 1848, the Segretaria was incorporated into the Ministero di Grazia e Giustizia and transformed into the "Sezione degli Affari ecclesiastici" (Ecclesiastical Affaits Department). Only three months later, on June 4, 1848, the autonomous Ministero degli Affari ecclesiastici (Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs) was officially established, which inherited the main competencies of the Segreteria del Regio Diritto.
The ecclesiastical benefits were always a particularly controversial subject. The deans could not take possession of the benefits without a license issued by the Auditore. Thus, the Grand Duke kept control over the local churches' patrimony. However, the complex set of interests involved within the benefits created constant conflicts and disputes. Other competencies of the Auditore consisted of validating the applicability of acts issued by ecclesiastical authorities in the Grand Duchy's territories, exercising the role of the supreme judge in ecclesiastical matters, controlling the relation of the local deans with other jurisdictions, and safeguarding the Grand Duchy's borders.
Grand Duke Cosimo III established the Congregazione per gli affari giurisdizionali (Congregation for Jurisdictional Affairs), composed of the Auditore and three members chosen by the Grand Duke. The creation of this commission was part of a more general policy of Cosimo III to establish collegial bodies in other areas.
In 1737, the Lorenese regency abolished the Auditore dei Benefici ecclesiastici. Its competencies were then assigned to the new Segreteria del Regio Diritto (Secretariat of the Royal Law). Over time, the prerogatives of the office were redefined and expanded. During the Napoleonic domination, the Segretaria was temporarily suppressed between 1808 and 1814. After the Restaurazione, it assumed the direction of the Ufficio di Stato Civile (Civil State Office) in 1817.
On March 16, 1848, the Segretaria was incorporated into the Ministero di Grazia e Giustizia and transformed into the "Sezione degli Affari ecclesiastici" (Ecclesiastical Affaits Department). Only three months later, on June 4, 1848, the autonomous Ministero degli Affari ecclesiastici (Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs) was officially established, which inherited the main competencies of the Segreteria del Regio Diritto.
Access points: locations
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
The fonds is divided into various series, but records are numbered sequentially.
Finding aids
"Segreteria del Regio Diritto, inventario sommario". Inventory composed in 1913, available for consultation in the archive (N/76).
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2021
Bibliography
Linked resources
Filter by property
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Archivio di Stato di Firenze | Collections (official language of the state) |