La restituzione della dote. Il gioco ambiguo della stima tra beni mobili e beni immobili (Venezia tra Cinque e Settecento)

Abstract

This article reconstructs the process of dowries' restitution to widows in early modern Venice on the basis of judicial sources kept in the State Archive of Venice (the collection "Giudici del proprio") as well as institutional documents. Surveys and estimations show the ambiguity of the proceedings. In particular, during the 18th century, political and familiar dynamics conditioned the process. The restitution was often connected with the institution of "fidecommissum", which demonstrates that some families were striving to free lands and other properties from these legal constrictions