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Intentiones Cancellariae; Intentiones de Cancellaria (Court applications submitted to the Chancellery and first depositions in civil litigations)

  • HR-DADU-22
  • Fonds
  • 1380-1383, 1457-1459, 1574-1576, 1568-1569, 1581-1583, 1601-1603, 1605-1815

The fonds contains registers with letters of applications and first statements in civil litigations dating to the 80s of the 14th century, mid-15th century and those dating to the period between the 70s of the 16th century and the beginning of the 19th century, which were first settled by Curia maior and Curia minor, and then by civilian judges (consuls). The data show that in the 13th and 14th centuries, civil and criminal cases were settled by Curia Maior and Curia Minor (for disputes worth up to 5 perpers), two legal bodies that consisted of members of the Minor Council (iudices). The central position in the judicial council until the 15th century was held by the Rector. The Civil Court was established in 1416, and initially there were six judges, and later their number decreased. The most common topics of litigations are found to be disagreements over the payment of rents, rental of real estate, arable land and other land, or disagreements over construction and remodelling, division of property, loans, etc. If it was deemed necessary, the proceedings would continue with a further examination of prosecutors, defendants, and witnesses. The statements in real estate litigations were entered in the Stabilia books (HR-DADU-25), and those related to litigations on movable property were entered in the books Mobilia (HR-DADU-26).


The fonds contains significantly less information about Jews if compared to the records of the Criminal Court. The data of the fonds are important for researching business affairs of Jewish people both in Dubrovnik, and in the Ottoman Empire, as well as in the countries of the Apennine Peninsula. The topic matters of the applications are mostly unpaid debts and trade disputes, or problems with the delivery of trade goods to Dubrovnik and their shipment to Italian ports. The fonds contains some references to Jewish women, widows, and fatherless girls. These women would defend their rights and their property, most usually from other family members such as their male in-laws, in person, or through their guardians (i.e., vol. 60, ff. 90v-91v). The fonds contains data on famous figures from Jewish history such as Isac Ergas, who was the business representative for Gracia Mendes and conducted all her affairs in Dubrovnik, as well as his brother Samuel, and Abraham Coen de Herrera and his brother Jacob Coen de Herrera (i.e., vol. 13, f. 161). The data of the fonds mainly reference to Jews who were living in Dubrovnik and belonged to families Abeatar, Abenun, Abuaff, Almoslino, Altarac, Ambonetti, Arari, Azubi, Bensahen, Campos, Cittanova, Coen, Costantini, Danon, Esperiel, Fermo, Franco, Gaon, Israel, Lanciano, Levi, Levi Mandolfo, Luzzena, Maestro, Miranda, Oef (Ohev), Pappo, Pardo, Penso, Piade, Ribero, Russo, Salama, Saralvo, Sarfatin, Terni, Tobi, Tolentino, Valenzin, Vitali. The fonds could also be important to a certain extent for the reconstruction of the Jewish business network in the Balkans and the Mediterranean since the names of Jewish merchants from Italian and Ottoman cities are occasionally referenced to in the Civil Court proceedings. The members of families like Zonana, or Benvenisti and Galante from Sofia, Maestro and Tobi from Belgrade, or Franco and Pappo from Venice are also referenced in the fonds.

Chancellery of the Dubrovnik Republic

Vineae; Vigne (Vineyards)

  • HR-DADU-34
  • Fonds
  • 16th century - 18th century

The fonds does not contain any data on Jews.
The fonds consists of registers covering the period from the 16th to the beginning of the 19th century, which were kept by the Wine Office and a commission in charge of controlling the planting of vines. The registers contain entries on cutting of the over-planted grape vines, on taxes on wine (gabella de vinni), data on wine smuggling and similar information (related to wine harvesting).

Wine office

Libri affictuum comunis; Affitti (Books of communal leases)

  • HR-DADU-38
  • Fonds
  • 1590-1807

The fonds contains volumes of documents on the rent collection for state-owned buildings primarily in the northern area of Dubrovnik, as well as documents regarding the rent collection for the buildings located on the main city street called Placa. Preserved documents show data until the earthquake in 1667 thus allowing researchers to monitor renting of land and buildings owned by state. According to the existing data, the reconstruction of Dubrovnik after the earthquake began precisely with the reconstruction of state-owned buildings. At the same time, the city authorities tried to restore the system of rent collection. However, financial difficulties forced them to sell most renovated houses and, in this way, raise funds for the renovation of the main buildings of the most important secular and ecclesiastical institutions in the city. The data also show that only a few buildings on the street Placa and in the northern part of the city of Dubrovnik were state-owned after 1667.


This fonds is very important for the research of the history of the ghetto in Dubrovnik, and it also provides data on buildings outside the ghetto in which the Jewish population lived, as well as on the business premises they would lease. The ghetto of the Dubrovnik Republic was in the northern part of the city, and it was established in 1546, in the Street Lojarska. The data in the fonds allow researchers to reconstruct precisely which buildings were a part of the city ghetto and it also further indicates how, with time passing, this ghetto gradually increased or decreased in size. The Jewish community paid the rent for all the buildings that belonged to the ghetto so the precise information on actual persons who lived in those buildings was never recorded. However, the recorded data provide the names of Jews who lived outside the ghetto, specifying as well as the buildings in which they lived, or the premises in which they worked, as well as the amount of the rent they paid (e.g., vol. 14, f. 105). The data thus clearly show that Jews originally lived and did business only in the buildings or premises near the ghetto. This changed in the 18th century, when the records indicate that more Jews lived or worked in the area that encompassed the streets from the ghetto towards the street Antuninska, and there are also references to some Jews who lived in the street of Prijeko. Since a large part of the city was destroyed in the earthquake of 1667, when many buildings on Placa Street collapsed, the authorities allowed businessmen to build improvised wooden shops on the main street, several of which were evidently run by Jews.

State administrative officers in charge of leases for state-owned real estate

Zecca (Mint)

  • HR-DADU-37
  • Fonds
  • 15th century - 19th century

There are no references to Jewish people in this fonds.
The books of this fonds primarily contain the “Principal Books of the Mint” and the “Journal with the General Ledger Book” including the information from the first decade of the 15th century to the beginning of the 19th century.

Mint of the Dubrovnik Republic

Justiciaria; Giustizieria (Inspectors of weights and measures)

  • HR-DADU-43
  • Fonds
  • 15th century - 17th century

Some books of this fonds, such as the Processum matrimoniale Marusse relicte olim Antonii Bratossaglich die VIII mai 1480, Lamenti dinnanzi Giudici del Criminale 1490-1490, Lamenta Notariae 1519-1524, due to their content, in fact belong to other fonds. The books of this fonds mainly consist of complaints (Lamenti de Giutizieria) and judgments that were both reached by justicieri (Sententie de Giusticieri). Some judgments can also be found in the books of complaints. The inappropriate usage of measures and weights, the sale of goods at prices higher than prescribed, the sale of goods without the permission of the justicieri and the embarkation of goods not previously weighed are the most common topics of these complaints and judgments. The goods that are referenced to in the books of this fonds are most often various food products, soap, clothing, and similar products. The books cover the period from the beginning of the 15th to the 70s of the 17th centuries.


There are only very few references to Jewish people in this fonds. These references can mostly be found in the books of the Lamenti de Giutizieria from the 17th century. In these references Jews are usually accused of unauthorized sale of goods or sale at prices higher than prescribed (e.g., vol. 9, f. 10). An interesting fact about these references is that only first names appear in the records.

Inspectors of weights and measures

Depositi (Deposits)

  • HR-DADU-46
  • Fonds
  • 1599-1806

The content of this fonds has not been fully researched so far. It contains three volumes, and the first volume is completely empty, and it does not contain any documents. The remaining two volumes cover the period from 1778 to 1815 and contain entries of cash deposits made at the Chancellery. These deposits represent payments of debts and settlements of various bills. The data also indicate that only persons whose names were written on the receipts as recipients, could collect the money at the Chancellery. According to the information available, the debtor would deposit the money at the Chancellery in situations when it was necessary for the other party to perform a certain action before receiving the money.


The fonds contains very little information about Jewish people, and the data found primarily refer to various aspects of their business at that time. References to certain members of various Ragusans Jewish families such as Costantini, Janni, Luzzena, Maestro, Pardo, Terni, Tolentino can also be found. For example: in 1804, Daniel Tolentino deposited 154 Ragusan ducats and 24 grossetti at the Chancellery to pay his debt to Sabato Terni, and Terni was also obliged to settle all accounts, or all his debts to Tolentino, before collecting the money deposited (vol. 2, f. 224v).

Chancellery of the Dubrovnik Republic

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