Social and Economic Mobility in Early Modern Dalmatia (Zadar/Zara, 1540 to 1570)
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Zurich Open Repository and Archive University of Zurich Main Library Strickhofstrasse 39 CH-8057 Zurich www.zora.uzh.ch Year: 2011 Urban Elites in the Venetian Commonwealth : Social and Economic Mobility in early modern Dalmatia (Zadar/Zara, 1540 to 1570) Sander, S K Abstract: The present study examines the economic, geographical, and social mobility in the early modern Adriatic using the example of the urban elites of Zadar (Zara) between the two naval battles of Preveza (1538) and Lepanto (1571). Based upon the protocols of fifteen public notaries, preserved in the Croatian State Archive in Zadar, the present thesis combines both unpublished primary and published secondary sources ? the Venetian relazioni as well as the city?s statutory laws, codified in 1563/64 ? to provide for a vivid images of past times.Methodically, the present study applies a three?pronged approach: An introductory chapter is followed by the first major part. By means of analysis of more than 900 individual procura contracts, the geographical range of Zadar?s urban elites are surveyed. So far this source type has attracted little scholarly attention despite its advantages of both qualitative and quantitative analysis potential to reconstruct pre?modern communication.The subsequent part surveys the interactions among Zadar?s various urban elites along ecclesiastical, economic, and political lines; the intricate relationship of clergy and nobility is of particular interest in this context. While the first segment of this part focuses on the analysis of the interrelationships of the elite groups, the second segment is a case study examining the real estate market. Thorough analysis of more than 1.700 individual contracts sheds new light on the developments of the economic foundations of an early modern frontier society.Zadar?s various urban elites ? nobility, elite commoners, Croats, and Jews ? and their marriage behaviour, material culture and, more general, interactions are the main topics of the final part. Based upon marriage contracts, dowry quitclaims, and testaments, colourful images of life in Venice?s maritime state in the 16th century emerges. Posted at the Zurich Open Repository and Archive, University of Zurich ZORA URL: https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-56706 Published Version Originally published at: Sander, S K. Urban Elites in the Venetian Commonwealth : Social and Economic Mobility in early modern Dalmatia (Zadar/Zara, 1540 to 1570). 2011, University of Graz, Faculty of Arts. Urban Elites in the Venetian Commonwealth Social and Economic Mobility in early modern Dalmatia (Zadar / Zara, 1540 to 1570) Dissertation zur Erlangung des Doktorgrades der Philosophie an der Karl–Franzens–Universität Graz eingereicht von Mag. phil. Stephan Karl Sander am Institut für Geschichte Erstbegutachter: o. Univ.–Prof. Dr. Karl Kaser Zweitbegutachter: Ao.Univ.–Prof. Dr.hc.mult. Dr.phil. Harald Heppner 2011 ii Table of Contents List of Tables ...................................................................................................................v List of Notaries quoted in the present study ..................................................................vi Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................vii Note on proper Names and Dates ................................................................................viii Introduction............................................................................................................................. 9 i. Statement of Aims........................................................................................................... 11 i.i. Thesis Structure ........................................................................................................12 ii. Literature Review ..........................................................................................................13 ii.i. Venice‘s Overseas Dominions ................................................................................16 ii.ii. Dalmatian Historiography .....................................................................................18 ii.iii. Zadar and the Ragusan Republic ..........................................................................22 iii. Methodical Considerations ...........................................................................................26 iv. Sources from the Croatian State Archive in Zadar ........................................................32 iv.i. Primary Sources: Records of the Notaries of Zadar ...............................................34 iv.ii. Structure and Terminology of Notarial Acts .........................................................35 iv.iii. Relations between Notaries and their Clients ......................................................38 iv.iv. Secondary Sources: Zadar‘s Statutes and the Venetian Relazioni ........................40 Part I: The Setting ................................................................................................................43 1. The Stato da mar (1358 to 1571) ...................................................................................43 1.1. Patterns of Expansion .............................................................................................51 1.2. Imperial Organisation: Military, Piracy, and the Church ........................................55 1.3. The Economy of the Stato da mar ..........................................................................59 2. The Adriatic Context...................................................................................................... 64 2.1. Zadar and its Hinterland .........................................................................................68 2.2. Territorial Overview ...............................................................................................71 2.3. The Venetian Administration in Zadar ...................................................................73 2.4. Local Autonomy, Migration, and the Economy .....................................................75 Synopsis .............................................................................................................................80 Part II: Zadar‘s Society and its Geographical Range .......................................................83 3. Trans–Adriatic Connections........................................................................................... 83 3.1. Adriatic Networks in the Sixteenth Century ..........................................................88 3.2. Procuratorial Networks ..........................................................................................90 3.3. Economic, Legal, and Social Motivations ...........................................................100 3.4. Ecclesiastical Activities ........................................................................................106 4. Secular and Ecclesiastical Elites vs. Society ...............................................................115 4.1. The Intellectual Elite ............................................................................................124 Synopsis ...........................................................................................................................133 iii Part III: Political and Economic Activities of Zadar‘s Urban Elites .............................135 5. Interactions of Zadar‘s Urban Elites ............................................................................135 5.1. Political Elites: Venetians, the Administration, and the Local Nobility ...............136 5.2. Ecclesiastical Elites: Clergy, Convents, and the Church ......................................146 5.3. Economic Elites: Actors, By–standers, and Commodities ...................................160 6. Economic Case Study: Zadar‘s Property Markets .......................................................168 6.1. Emptiones sive Venditiones ..................................................................................169 6.2. Concessiones sive Pastinationes........................................................................... 177 6.3. Locationes ............................................................................................................187 Synopsis ...........................................................................................................................199 Part IV: Zadar‘s Urban Elites and their Daily Life ........................................................201 7. Zadar‘s Nobility ...........................................................................................................201 7.1. Mobility among the Nobility................................................................................ 202 7.2. Aspects of Material Culture.................................................................................. 218 8. Functional Groups and Zadar‘s Urban Landscape .......................................................227 8.1. Venetians in Zadar ................................................................................................229 8.2. Elite Commoners.................................................................................................. 234 8.3. Other Groups of Interest: Croats and Jews........................................................... 239 8.4. Zadar‘s Urban Landscape..................................................................................... 247 Synopsis ...........................................................................................................................257