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Lamenta de criminali sive Libri maleficiorum (Books of criminal complaints)

There is no reference to Jewish people in the series.
The series consists of registers of criminal cases from the mid-14th century to the mid-15th century, kept by the Curia Maior and Curia Minor (the Criminal Court was established in 1459). The oldest criminal cases are recorded in individual documents, while registers for criminal cases (Libri maleficiorum or Libri de maleficiis) had begun to be kept even before 1279. The data show that criminal proceedings were entered in the series Lamenta de criminali sive Libri maleficiorum for crimes committed in the entire area of the Dubrovnik commune.

Lamenta de criminali (Criminal complaints)

The series contains registers of criminal cases recorded during the period of five years in the 15th and 16th centuries. Criminal cases mainly relate to physical violence, murder, verbal violence, and property crimes. Each case consists of a lawsuit filed by a private person or by the state (ex officio). Witnesses are listed in the case and, if necessary, their written testimonies are also added. It is a characteristic of the Dubrovnik Criminal Court that it rarely rendered judgements, most likely because most disputes were settled in conciliation of the warring parties. The mark "fatta" entered on the margins of the documents indicates that a judgment was pronounced. Some judgements (legal decisions) were written at the end of the case, and, in most cases, judgements were registered in special books kept in the fonds Criminalia (HR-DADU-23).


The series Lamenta de criminali is a first-rank source for the research of everyday life of the Dubrovnik Jewish community in the broadest sense of the word. Also, the archival material provides an opportunity to analyse the relations of Dubrovnik Jews with both: their fellow citizens and the authorities of the Republic. The series does not contain a lot of documents, and there are approximately twenty references to Jewish people. The most notable Jews referenced in the series are Isaac Ergas, the representative of Gracia Mendes, who, according to the records, was very prone to conflict, and Isaac, the son of a surgeon Abraham. The data show that Isaac, the son of Abraham, sued Isaac Ergas in 1575 for repeatedly insulting him, having stated Didacus Pyrrhus as a witness (vol. 4, f. 32). According to the records, conflicts over the performance of religious rites, especially in the 16th century, were one of the characteristics of Dubrovnik's Jewish community. In this sense, there is a very interesting record dating to 1575, which describes in Latin a conflict over the manner of ritual slaughter of chickens: Graciadio hebreo di Ghetto fa querella contra et ad. Salamon hebreo di Ghetto dicendo, che hoggi havingndo in la mano un polastro, et volendo quello amazarlo, all'usanza di hebrei, dissi a esso Salamon che lo dovesse tenir cosci, et lui di subito mi dette molti pugni, poi mi prendi per la testa, con quella dette nel muro, rupendomele in la orechia sinistra, effusione di sangue, mostrando il capo tutto insanguinato ...; Testes: Hebrew venture; Iacob hebreo (vol. 4, f. 141).

Lamenta de intus et de foris (Legal complaints concerning criminal offences committed inside and outside Dubrovnik city walls)

In addition to the registers Lamenta de intus (HR-DADU-21.1) and Lamenta de foris (HR-DADU-21.2), registers of this fonds were also kept, containing lawsuits for criminal offenses committed inside and outside the city walls, that were recorded in the period from the 70s of the 14th centuries, to the 70s of the 17th centuries. Criminal cases were initially tried by Curia Maior and Curia Minor and, from 1459, by the Criminal Court. The entries in the documents of the fonds consist of a lawsuit initiated by a private person or the state (ex officio). Witnesses were listed and, if necessary, their written testimonies were also added. The records in this series mainly relate to cases of physical violence, verbal violence, and property crimes. It is characteristic of the Dubrovnik Criminal Court that it rarely rendered judgements, most likely because most disputes terminated with conciliation of the warring parties. Some of the judgements were recorded at the end of the case, and some were entered in special books in the Criminalia Fonds (HR-DADU-23). Not all legal decisions or judgements had been preserved for the period before 1667.


Similar to the series Lamenta de intus (HR-DADU-21.1), this series provides abundant information about Jews who came to Dubrovnik from the Apennine Peninsula and from the areas of the Ottoman Empire. It is an excellent source for researching all aspects of everyday life of the Dubrovnik Jewish community in the 16th century. It also provides an opportunity to researchers to analyse the relations of Dubrovnik Jews with both: their fellow citizens and the city authorities. As for significant figures in Sephardic history, it should be noted that the series mentions Abraham Coen de Herrera and his father David Coen de Herrera (vol. 16, f. 253v; vol. 17, f. 127). There are many references to Jewish families the members of which lived both in Dubrovnik and in Italian and Ottoman cities (e.g., Abeatar, Abravanel, Abuaf, Albachari, Alfarin, Amadio, Bencastiel, Benmaior, Bensassen, Cabiglio, Camargo, Celebi, Cidi, Coduto, Cohen, Criado, Cussi, Danon, Ergas, Esperiel, Formon, Gaon, Israel, Lanciano, Levi, Lindo, Maestro, Mazaod, Melle, Membre, Miranda, Moschato, Nahmias, Oef, Pappo, Pardo, Salama, Sarfatin, Tobi , Trigo, Trincha, Valenzin).

Leges et instructiones; Leggi e istruzioni (Books of laws and regulations of the Dubrovnik Republic)

The series is very important for the research of the legal history of the Dubrovnik Republic. It consists of several transcripts of the basic Dubrovnik legal codes, or more precisely, the Statute from 1272, Liber omnium reformationum (1335-1410), Liber viridis (1358-1460) and Liber croceus (1460-1803). A Dubrovnik nobleman, Frano Gondola (1539-1589) composed indexes for these basic collections of regulations. He made sure that each provision is followed by a brief description and definitions of less familiar terms. Gondola's work has contributed significantly to easier referencing and interpretation of the law in general. The series also contains other books of laws that were created based on the previously mentioned codes as well as collections of decisions from judicial and administrative practice. It also contains various indexes for series and fonds such as Acta Consilii Rogatorum (HR-DADU-3.1), Sententiae Cancellariae (HR-DADU-18), Diversa Cancellariae (HR-DADU-15), Diversa Notariae (HR -DADU-9), Diversa de Foris (HR-DADU-30.1).


Jewish people are mentioned in the series only occasionally. In the book Index sive regestum Partium Consilii Rogatorum, rpbl. Ragusinae ab. A 1407 us. ad a. 1601, there are three entries on the decisions of the Senate on the dwelling of the Jews inside the city walls (vol. 26, f. 81). The books Indice alfabetico delle sentenze and Index sententiarum present the words of an oath that Jews were required to take when testifying in court (vol. 18, f. 53; vol. 42, f. 35). In the book Compendio di tutte le sentenze e giudicati in ogni materia, in forma d'indice raccolte da me D. Antonio Damiano Ohmuchievich, the text of this oath in Latin was published in two places (vol. 45, f. 121-122, 124 -125).

Diversa Cancellariae (Various documents registered at the Chancellery)

  • HR-DADU-15
  • Fonds
  • 1282-1286, 1295-1297, 1305-1306, 1312-1314, 1320-1323, 1325-1330, 1333-1337, 1341-1345, 1347-1352, 1354-1356, 1362-1377, 1381-1418, 1422-1452, 1454-1815

The fonds covers the period from the end of the 13th to the beginning of the 19th centuries and contains the data on public legal and judicial affairs and also on those private legal affairs for which the Public Notary was otherwise in charge. Thus, just like the fonds Diversa Notariae, this fonds is an excellent source of information on all aspects of political, economic, cultural, public and private life in the Republic of Dubrovnik.


The fonds is, therefore, very important for the research of the history of the Jewish people. It provides relevant data on business and private connections of Jews in Europe, mostly Southeast Europe, then in North Africa and the Middle East, in the period from the 14th to the beginning of the 19th centuries. The earliest reference found so far dates from 1368, when David from an Albanian city of Durrës, in the presence of witnesses Moshe, the son of Matthew, and Solomon, also from Durrës, registered a declaration of receipt of a financial deposit from a certain Venetian (vol. 21, ff. 71v, 72). A few more examples from earlier times illustrate well the diversity and relevance of this fonds. Astruch, the son of Jacob, called "Bonaventura", found his runaway son-in-law, Joseph Farrer from Padua, in Dubrovnik in the year 1400. They both signed an agreement at the Public Notary, in which it was stated that Joseph must return to his wife Astrucha within seven months. If he failed to do so, he would have to pay a fine of 20 perpers, and 10 perpers of this amount would be paid to Astruch (who found him). In the same document, Joseph also pledged to reimburse his father-in-law for the costs of the search. Witnesses to the agreement were Vives, the son of Astruch and Moshe, the son of Joseph (vol. 33, f. 183). In 1414, a medical examiner Samuel, signed a contract with a blind Ragusan Pripko Kaličević. The contract states that if the doctor managed to cure Pripko's eyes, he would be awarded 10 golden ducats, and if he failed, he would get nothing (vol. 40, f. 27v). The fonds also references other prominent and well-known people from that time such as: Abner Alfarin, Isac Ergas, Daniel Rodrigues, Nehemia Hia Haion, Solomon Oef, David Pass (Passo), Didacus Pyrrhus and some members of a highly respected Dubrovnik Jewish family, the Coens. Some members of Dubrovnik Jewish families Ambonetti, Campos, Fermo, Levi Mandolfo, Luzzena, Maestro, Pardo, Russo, Terni, Tolentino, Valenzin, Vitali were also referenced many timesare mentioned a lot. There are also many references to Jews who remained in Dubrovnik for a very short time, or to those who only passed through it or even never came directly but did business through the city with the help of intermediaries. One will was also registered in the books of this fonds. It is the will of Moshe Alfandrino, which was composed in 1584 in Venice. Two years later, Mira Alfandrino, Moshe's widow, also registered her will at the Public Notary in Dubrovnik (vol. 174, ff. 21v-22v a tergo).

Chancellery of the Dubrovnik Republic

Grassia; Grassa (Food supplies)

  • HR-DADU-36
  • Fonds
  • 1500-1590, 1595-1609, 1616, 1622-1625, 1627-1655, 1662-1809

The fonds contains registers of expenses related to the purchase of various types of cereals (sorghum, millet, wheat, barley), as well as the purchase of olive oil, rice, or beans. Some registers in the fonds provide information on the distribution and sale of these food products to the inhabitants of the Republic. Among other documents in the fonds, there are also registers of debtors, and various transcripts of Senate decisions regarding the purchase and delivery of food products. According to the data, domestic and foreign traders would deliver food to the Republic and the authorities of the Republic would then organize the purchase of food abroad (primarily on the Apennine Peninsula and in the Ottoman Empire) as well as its delivery to Dubrovnik. One of the responsibilities of this office was also to provide food to the poor at lower prices, either on loan or even free of charge.


There is very little information about Jews in the fonds. The data in the fonds demonstrate how Jews participated in food procurement and provide information on different ways how they benefited from the services of this office. According to the data, some members of Dubrovnik Jewish families such as Cittanova, Levi Mandolfo and Terni were involved in the acquisition and delivery of food to Dubrovnik in the 18th century. The sons of a renown Dubrovnik merchant Raphael Coen, Aron, Abram and Moshe, distinguished themselves in the process of food acquisition from Ancona. The data show that Dubrovnik Jewish community procured food using the services of this office (e.g., vol. 28, under the letter S).

State office for food supplies of the Dubrovnik Republic

Officiales rationum; Officiali delle cinque ragioni (Main state accountants)

  • HR-DADU-35
  • Fonds
  • 15th century - 19th century

The series contains various accounting books and lists of state revenues from the 15th to the 19th century. In six volumes, the costs of missions to the sultan and Ottoman dignitaries from Bosnia to Istanbul were recorded, as well as the costs of missions to the Venetian general provider of Dalmatia (18th century). After a thorough consideration, accounting officers either accepted or rejected the costs, and recorded accordingly those expenditures in notebooks bearing the names Partite accetate and Partite ributtate. Rejected expenditures were sent to the Senate for further consideration.


There are only few references to Jews in this series. Those references can be only found in volumes no. 11 and 12, entitled Riscossioni dell'Officio (recoveries of state revenues, 1711-1740). In these references Jews are referred to mostly as tenants of residential and commercial premises belonging to the foundation Opera pia. A very prominent Dubrovnik merchant Raphael Coen, as well as his sons Abram and Aron (e.g. vol. 11, f. 28) are those Jewish people mostly referred to in these volumes.

Office of the main state accountant

Acta Turcarum (Ottoman Turkish documents)

The series contains many letters and official documents. Letters to the Republic were written by various Ottoman dignitaries, from the grand vizier to local authorities of the towns and places near the Dubrovnik border. Official documents are orders and charters of sultans, orders of the governors of the Ottoman provinces and various documents of kadis. The documents in the series Acta Turcarum provide an excellent insight into all aspects of relations between the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Dubrovnik, from interstate to personal. The series contains a small number of documents in other languages: Armenian, Arabic and Judeo-Spanish.


The series also contains a small number of documents in Judeo-Spanish, written in Latin alphabet and Hebrew (vol. E17b, E18a, E18b, D, XXIII). It also contains inventories of main figures of Jewish families and of the houses in which they lived (1756, 1808), as well as an inventory of Jews who immigrated to Dubrovnik in the period from 1730 to 1756. In addition, there are two letters in Italian: a letter written by Abram Bussara, the consul of the Dubrovnik Republic in Algeria (1790), and a letter written by Sabato Valenzin to the Austrian authorities of Dubrovnik district (1873) (vol. D, XXIII).

Turkish Chancellery of the Dubrovnik Republic

Diplomata et acta (Documents and acts), 13th century

There is no reference to Jews in this subseries.

The subseries contains agreements on topics of peace, friendship, and trade cooperation between the Republic and various cities of the Apennine Peninsula (e.g., Monopoli, Bari, Recanati, Molfetta, Ravenna), some Dalmatian cities (Šibenik, Split, Zadar, Omiš, Trogir) and rulers of the Dubrovnik hinterland. The series also contains various papal documents, and documents on the affairs of the Archdiocese of Dubrovnik. Some documents give an insight on relations of the Republic with Venice, such as agreements on the subordination of the Republic to Venice, or pledges of Venetians appointed as Dubrovnik Rectors and confirmations of salaries that they received from the Ragusans, or various business contracts.

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