Patrimonio redditi e consumi del convento di Santa Maria della Scala di Verona nel 1680 e nel 1724

Abstract The following research is focused on the analysis about the economical situation of the convent Santa Maria della Scala in Verona, comparing the years 1680 and 1724. The decision to deep the economical dynamics of a religious institute is due to the increasing interest for the studying of the clergy within the economic history in modern age. In that period, churches, convents and monasteries were not only worship centres but were also economical and social structures in the surrounding area. My interest for Santa Maria della Scala has been ripened through the work carried out by Giorgio Borelli, who drew the economical situation of several religious institutions in Verona, taking into consideration the “polizze di estimo” of the local clergy. From this analysis, it was clear that Santa Maria della Scala from an economical point of view, was estimated to be a medium dimension convent; therefore as a model in a particularly complex environment as the resulting situation in all the religious institutions of the modern age. After choosing the convent, as religious institution, it was necessary to decide which years were to be taken into consideration for my survey, possibly using elements in common to be compared. The years 1680 and 1724 were chosen, since the “polizze di estimo” had been renewed in those years; moreover in the range between 1680 e 1724, the currency meant as “unità di conto” had not suffered any evident changes, and the criteria of conversion of real wealth into “cifra di estimo” had remained the same: one “soldo di estimo” corresponded to 240 “ducati di capitale”. The “polizza di estimo” was used by convents and monasteries to declare their yearly income. That was the analysed and valued by experts from the clergy itself. They were able to define the economical situations of every religious institutions. The “cifra di estimo” was also necessary to evaluate the taxes to be paid by any clerical institutions, another element useful to compare the economical position in the two mentioned years, was the historical period called “Lungo Seicento”, which they were included in, that span was characterized by economical depression caused by a particularly decreasing population, due to plague, wars and famine. After analysing the “polizze di estimo” the first result was an evident income reduction between 1680 and 1724. The question was whether the origin of decreasing had been due to the general external crisis or it had been caused by internal economic problems in Santa Maria della Scala convent. The general and spread depression was not to be neglected, so it was necessary to compare the economic situation and in particular the values of the “cifre di estimo” in Santa Maria della Scala, with other religious institutions in Verona in the same span. Through previous studies, absolutely contrasting datas emerged, that some religious institutions showed the same financial situation as Santa Maria della Scala; in other no substantial changes had been recorded between 1680 and 1724. On the other hand in some convents a significant economic growing had been highlighted, from that any external conditions were not so influent for the economical results of the convent. Therefore the onset of the negative situation was to be found in the economical management inside the convent itself. A further problem which had to be solved , was the reliability of the datas inside the “polizze di estimo”, as those documents could testify reduced financial possessions, in comparison with the real value. So the “cifra di estimo” was consequently lower. That situation led to integrate the datas supplied by the “polizza di estimo”, with the study of the account books of incomes and expenses, within the two years taken into consideration. Therefore the picture could be more trustable and reliable, although with different absolute values between the account books and the “polizze di estimo”. We could also find that between 1680 and 1724 there was a significant reduction of the financial standing in Santa Maria della Scala. After considering that situation we had to find out the elements that might have mostly influenced the economical decrease. In order to reach the prefixed aim, the convent itself was to be studied as a real business organization, dividing the incomes and the expenses into homogeneous categories, to determine in diachronic key the gap between the two years. From comparing the different income categories, it emerged that great part of the reduced financial standing was due to decreased charities. Another problem to be verified was whether the situation was limited to the mentioned years, or it might be the result of a negative economical situation extended throughout the time. To demonstrate that it was necessary to analyse the incomes in each of the years between 1680 and 1724. The choice of consider the only incomes was taken because they could better determine the “cifra di estimo” . The years pointed out contrasting states and each category carefully showed discontinuous tendencies. In the end, after examining the forty years, the economic situation of Santa Maria della Scala was not the result of a negative business trend, lasting in that period but it was related to those specific years, 1680 and 1724: the recession was due to a marked reduction of charities.