Metadata: Bastia Collection of Orders
Collection
- Country:
- Italy
- Holding institution:
- Mantua State Archive
- Holding institution (official language):
- Archivio di Stato di Mantova
- Postal address:
- via Roberto Ardigò 11, 46100 Mantova
- Phone number:
- +39 376324441
- Web address:
- http://www.asmantova.beniculturali.it
- Email:
- as-mn@beniculturali.it
- Reference number:
- Inventario maniscritto Gridario Bastia
- Title:
- Bastia Collection of Orders
- Title (official language):
- Gridario Bastia
- Date(s):
- 1400-1797
- Language:
- Italian
- Latin
- French
- Extent:
- 53 boxes
- Type of material:
- Textual material
- Physical condition:
- good
- Scope and content:
-
Among the several entries of the first folder of the index of the “gridario Bastia”, there are some that are very interesting for Jewish history. The main one is “Ebrei” (Jews), under which 69 “grida” are indicated, dating from 1530 to 1791, concerning various subjects directly related to the Jews, from the jurisdiction of the so-called “Commissario degli Ebrei” (a Christian judge elected by the Duke of Mantua to be the only figure dealing with civil and criminal Jewish laws, in cases interfering with Christians), to prohibitions for the Jews, such as going out of the Jewish ghetto during Easter or to bear titles such as “magnifico” or "illustre”; from the obligations for the Jews to wear an orange (“rancio”) cap, to the permission given to the Jews of bringing “legal foods” to imprisoned Jews.
Bastia was very meticulous in creating such an index, so that one might find “grida” that were not made specifically for (or against) the Jews, but concerns the Jews in only one point (such for example a “grida” issued in 1530 about the payments of the taxes due by the different communities of the state of Mantua, divided into 59 points: only point number 46 is related to the Jews who lived outside the city walls, who should be considered as “citizens” living inside the city walls, with their privileges, for the payment of taxes; not “as Christians”, as Bastia erroneously writes).
Some of these “69” grida are indicated also under other entries, such as “Accademia ebraica” (Jewish Academy), “Banchi feneratizi ebraici” (Jewish Banks), “Banchieri” (Bankers), “Cattecumeni” (Catechumens), “Commissari degli Ebrei”, “Ghetto”, “Monti ebraici” (Jewish Funds); “Pegni” (Pawns), “Usure” (Usuries) and the like, but also under less “predictable” entries - in which one might find other, different “grida”, too - namely: “ Araldica” (Heraldry), “Arbitri” (Arbiters), “Argenti” (Silverwares), “Confessori” (Confessors), “Contratti” (Contracts), “Cristiani” (Christians); “Feste” (Holidays), “Formento” (Wheat); “Immondizie” (Garbage); “Incanto” (Auction); “Isabella Madama S. A. R. Infante di Spagna, Principessa di Spagna” - there is a description of the decoration made in the ghetto for her passage in Mantua; “Maschere” (Masks) - Jews are allowed to use them only if they put a yellow sign on them (1613); “Peltro” (Pewter), permit to buy it; “Portinari” del ghetto (Ghetto doormen); “Rame” (Copper); “Rescritti del principe” (orders of the Prince); “Ricettatori” di ebrei in tempo di notte (people who hosted Jews during the night); “Scomunica” (Excommunication); “Segnatura di Giustizia”; “Tariffa” (Price); “Tumulto” (Riot).
Named Jewish individuals may also be found hidden under other entries, such as “Acquavitte” (Spirits”), for Israel Graziadio Levi Monferini and Moisè Coen were granted permits to deal in spirits in 1743 and 1753; “Carni” (Meats”), because the Jew Emanuele Vita received the permit of collecting taxes on them in 1737; “Cartastracci” (“Scrap paper”), whose commercial license was granted to Abram Fano first in 1637 and later to Abram Vita Fano; “Cavalli” (Horses), for Raffael Vita di Vita received the permit of collecting taxes on them in 1676; “Cristalli e vetri” (Plate glass and glass), a factory for which was leased to Moisè Civita in 1670; “Droghe e cere” (Drugs and Waxes), because the Jew Sforza Bonajuto Viterbi received the permit of collecting taxes on them in 1749; “Ferro e rame. Rottami” (Scraps of Iron and Copper), the collection permit for which was attributed to Abram Vita Fano in 1718.
Finally, there are entries directly related to Jewish people, such as “Civita David Ebreo”, whose goods were confiscated in 1729; “Civita Moisè”; “Coen”; “Fano Angelo and Abram”, allowed to buy and sell used clothes (1608-1649; the same also under “Panni vecchi”, second-hand clothes); “Lambrosi Moisè” who undertook a contract for tobacco in 1707; “Norsa Isacco”, who had the license to collect taxes on burning oil (1664); “Norsa Samuel”, who obtained the license to collect taxes on “Salumi” (in this case, this word indicates salted fish); “Vita Sabbato”, who had the license to collect taxes on windmills (1706).
The second folder of the index of “Gridario Bastia” collects only “grida” issued under French occupation (1797), so their dates of issue are given according to the new calendar and the new names of the months. Among the several entries of this folder there are some that are very interesting for the history of the Jews of Mantua, such as: “Coen Felice”, a Jew elected to the local government, called “Municipalità”, and formed by 20 citizens, including a President and a Secretary; “Ebrei” (Jews), containing four “grida”, about subsidies for poor people and the proclamation to be given in the synagogues of the aggregation of Mantua to the “Repubblica Cisalpina”; “Ghetto”; “Municipalità di Mantova”, subsidies for poor people should include Jews, too; “Pavia David Sanson”, a Jew elected in the “Municipalità”; “Sanità” (Healthcare), an index of Jewish people charged because of sanitary problems.
- Archival history:
-
The State Archive of Mantua holds a large number of so-called “grida”, literally “(orders) shouted”, indicating official orders, that could be handwritten or printed, issued by the government. They are found throughout numerous fonds and people have over time attempted to collect them all and organise them. One of these collections is this fonds, called “Gridario Bastia”, after Gaetano Bastia, a legal expert (he was “Regio Speditore dell’Imperial Regio Tribunale di Prima Istanza Civile di Mantova”) who died on 18 October 1837. Bastia used a thematic order. In the first folder of the index of “Gridario Bastia”, each “grida” has the following data: its date of issue and its presence in one or more of the four collections of grida (“gridario”) existing when Bastia was alive, namely: the “Bastia gridario” itself, the “Romenati gridario”, the “Appello” and “Magistrato”. Each of these four collections may vary, depending on the goal for which the collection was created and on the period when it was made. Also, note that “Appello” collection has not been found, so it is not available at the moment.
For historical information about the holding institution, the State Archive of Mantua, see http://guidagenerale.maas.ccr.it/document.aspx?uri=/istituticonservatori/IC0460022101
- Administrative/biographical history:
-
The "Gridario Bastia" is a private collection sold by the owner to Municipality of Mantua which afterward delivered it to the State Archive of Mantua.
See Guida generale degli Archivi di Stato. Archivio di Stato di Mantova, http://guidagenerale.maas.ccr.it/AJAXContent.ashx?uri=hap:localhost/xw/guidagenerale/3se0e822018942c501/23692&option=document&type=viewhtml
See also http://san.beniculturali.it/web/san/dettaglio-complesso-documentario?step=dettaglio&codiSanCompl=san.cat.complArch.31000&idSogc=&id=31000
For historical information about the holding institution, the State Archive of Mantua, see http://guidagenerale.maas.ccr.it/document.aspx?uri=/istituticonservatori/IC0460022101
- Access points: locations:
- Mantua
- Subject terms:
- Financial matters
- Financial matters--Banks, banking, and bankers
- Financial matters--Moneylending
- Ghettos (non-Holocaust era)
- Health and medical matters
- Legal matters
- Legal status of Jews
- Taxation
- Trade and commerce
- Trade and commerce--Alcohol trade
- Trade and commerce--Clothing and textile trade
- Welfare
- Yerusha Network member:
- Contemporary Jewish Documentation Center - Milan
- Author of the description:
- Samuela Marconcini; Centro di documentazione ebraica contemporanea; 2017