Family and Societyanna Bellavitisthe purpose of this contribution is to present family practices—partic-
ularly matrimonial and inheritance—within the context of the complex
juridical structure of Venetian society, and in relation to the economic
activities carried out by the various social groups. the first part will exam-
ine the principal sources for the history of the Venetian family available
to scholars and several problems that have grown out of the most recent
research. then the theme will be developed in three distinct sections that
correspond to the three social groups into which Venetian society is tra-
ditionally divided—patriciate, bourgeoisie, and popolo.
Sources and Problemsthe 1242 tiepolo statutes constituted the foundations of Venetian family
law. these statutes defined the duties and rights of family members, espe-
cially with regards to patrimony and succession, within a system which,
while it maintained significant features of its own, was based on Roman
law. legislation regarding succession hinged on these norms, and an
increasingly precise and in-depth policy of state intervention and control
on the family was defined early on. this policy was enforced by means
of the action of various judicial magistracies. the Avogaria di Comun
was responsible, among other things, for registering patrician births and
marriages, but also for examining the candidacies of non-noble women
promised in marriage to members of the patriciate and for registering the
marriages of patricians and cittadini. the Giustizia Vecchia, which main-
tained a record of apprenticeship and domestic service contracts, acted
as guarantor for the circulation of minors among families and of their
professional training, while many other magistracies, such as the Giudici
del Proprio, the Giudici del Procurator, the Giudici del Mobile, and the Giu-
dici di Petizion were responsible, in different forms, for the task of settling
family conflicts.1
1 Roberto cessi, ed., Gli Statuti veneziani di Jacopo Tiepolo del 1242 e le loro glosse
(Venice, 1938); Novissimum Statutorum ac Venetarum Legum volumen (Venice, 1729); marco