Arte di Calimala

See also: Calimala

The Arte di Calimala , is the rich person commercial corporation of Florence of the Exchange and of the Wool ( Cambio E Lana ) invests directly by the family Médicis.
It produces the cloths refined of those which it buys, unbleached of Flandres of England and France; as it makes the trade itself of its cloths of which finished was famous in all Europe, it creates the first commercial bank of the Moyen-âge. perhaps
Son name comes from the name of the street (it) badly famed of its warehouses where unbleached cloths or of the Roman origin of its name were treated which would be calis malus .

Since 1193, other rich person commercial corporations (Arti) are made up in the middle of the 12th century. They are born from a societas mercatorum from three consuls in reaction of opposition to the societas militium from the aristocrats and their allies from the upper middle class, the popolo grasso .
Elle also comprises each one a military chief: the Podestat, foreigner chosen to regulate the problems of police force.

With the Middle Ages

The 7 Arti maggiore , known as Arti di Calimala , develop as of the middle of the 13th century and as from 1289, others, known as minor arts or Arti minori .

The importance of Calimala grows and its trade extends then to the imports from spices, perfumes, jewels, invaluable fabrics, and corn export.

It takes an unquestionable importance in the economic activity of the town of Florence and also in its relationship with the management of the city and arts which develop to with it.
Son economic radiation in whole Europe, will also take part in the diffusion of arts in this zone of influence.

Thus Calimala mixed liability company and finance several works of the religious buildings of Florence:

the door Eastern of San Giovanni following a contest gained by Lorenzo Ghiberti and carried out of 1425 to 1452, said Door of the Paradise .
the money furnace bridge of the baptistry visible with the museum of the Opera of the Dome (its realization decorated of enamels and gildings will require 400 kg of money).
the mounting for the relic of the index of Jean-Baptiste Saint, decorated with gold, money and pearls (destroyed during the floods of 1557 and replaced since).
the frontage and the convent of the church San Miniato Al Assembles. A eagle of gold, weapons of Calimala, was placed there at its top in 1401.
the Caroccio , warlike tank, of the Midsummer's Day baptistry, decorated marbles invaluable and mosaics and restored by their care in 1280.
the statue in one of the niches external of the vault Orsanmichele, that of Saint Jean Baptiste, patron saint of Calimala, by Ghiberti.

Historical continuation

Calimala will become then the bank of Europe supplementing the Bill of exchange adopted since the 13th century, by the guilder of gold, initiator of the partly double Comptabilité and the Assurance-vie.

It will lose its place at the 15th century, replaced by the Germans, Spaniards and Génois following the periods of disorders and especially of the Grande Plague.

External bond

in pdf: Origin of capitalism outlines historical.

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