The Florentine florin: The politics and culture of money in the Middle Ages
By Stefano Locatelli
Manchester University Press
ISBN: 978-1-5261-5813-0
This open-access book traces the rise of the Florentine florin, the gold coin first minted by Florence in the mid-thirteenth century. More than a merchant’s currency, it became a monetary powerhouse sought after by traders, kings, and popes alike.
Excerpt:
Drawing on the research traditions and approaches of economic, political, social, and cultural history, as well as numismatics, and combining data from a large variety of sources, including archaeological material, such as coin hoards, and largely unpublished written documentation (e.g., detailed tax receipts, tithe registers, notarial documents, and so on) from seven different archives (Florence, Lucca, Pisa, Vatican City, Venice, Genoa, and Naples), this book provides a new perspective on the early life of the florin, significantly broadening the existing consensus around this coinage.
Who is this book for?
A wide audience of medievalists will want to read this open-access book, which shows the florin to be far more than a simple coin. Readers interested in numismatics and economic history—especially trade—will find it particularly useful, while those studying Florence, Italy, and the papacy will also benefit from its insights.
“The book is convincing and substantial: a point of arrival and a solid foundation for research on the florin and medieval monetary history. From a methodological point of view, the author succeeds in his aim: to show that money is a constructed object, shaped by politics, historical contingencies, and power relations that define its value, circulation, and use; and at the same time that money is an ‘connecting agent’ between people, capable of offering useful elements for understanding social, economic, and cultural dynamics.” ~ review by Andrea Papi in Quaderni Del mæs – Journal of Mediæ Ætatis Sodalicium
The Author
Stefano Locatelli is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at University of Milan, where he specializes in the monetary history of the Italian peninsula.
The Florentine florin: The politics and culture of money in the Middle Ages
By Stefano Locatelli
Manchester University Press
ISBN: 978-1-5261-5813-0
This open-access book traces the rise of the Florentine florin, the gold coin first minted by Florence in the mid-thirteenth century. More than a merchant’s currency, it became a monetary powerhouse sought after by traders, kings, and popes alike.
Excerpt:
Drawing on the research traditions and approaches of economic, political, social, and cultural history, as well as numismatics, and combining data from a large variety of sources, including archaeological material, such as coin hoards, and largely unpublished written documentation (e.g., detailed tax receipts, tithe registers, notarial documents, and so on) from seven different archives (Florence, Lucca, Pisa, Vatican City, Venice, Genoa, and Naples), this book provides a new perspective on the early life of the florin, significantly broadening the existing consensus around this coinage.
Who is this book for?
A wide audience of medievalists will want to read this open-access book, which shows the florin to be far more than a simple coin. Readers interested in numismatics and economic history—especially trade—will find it particularly useful, while those studying Florence, Italy, and the papacy will also benefit from its insights.
“The book is convincing and substantial: a point of arrival and a solid foundation for research on the florin and medieval monetary history. From a methodological point of view, the author succeeds in his aim: to show that money is a constructed object, shaped by politics, historical contingencies, and power relations that define its value, circulation, and use; and at the same time that money is an ‘connecting agent’ between people, capable of offering useful elements for understanding social, economic, and cultural dynamics.” ~ review by Andrea Papi in Quaderni Del mæs – Journal of Mediæ Ætatis Sodalicium
The Author
Stefano Locatelli is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at University of Milan, where he specializes in the monetary history of the Italian peninsula.
You can learn more about this book from the publisher’s website.
This book is open-access – click here to download it
You can buy this book on Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
Subscribe to Medievalverse
Related Posts