<論説>近世初頭のヴェネツィアにおける書記局官僚層の形成とその意義

Abstract

貴族階級の身分上の閉鎖性が維持されていることを重視する従来のヴェネツィア史研究においては、一五世紀後半以降上層市民としての身分的位置づけを得る書記局官僚層の台頭はあまり積極的に評価されていない。しかしながら本稿で、書記局官僚層の政治的経済的な実力や、その人的結合関係を検討した結果、貴族階級における階層分化と寡頭政的傾向の進展によって、多くの貧困貴族が実質上権力から排除されていることを考慮すれば、有力貴族層と結びつき、貧困貴族層を凌ぐほどの政治的な影響力を行使するとともに、様々な経済的利益を国家から引き出していた、有力官僚家系を中心とする書記局官僚層の形成は、近世ヴェネツィアにおける政治エリート層の再編過程の端緒として位置づけられる重要な権力構造上の変化として捉えられる、という結論を得ることができたのである。

Compared to the patriciate, the Venetian citizenry, cittadini, has received little attention. Chancellery Secretaries, in particular, played an important role in Venetian politics and society, but it is considered that the social position of them only supported that of powerful nobles. This article focuses on the making and the development of the chancellery secretaries' class in early modern Venice and evaluates its significance. Chancellery employees was granted the status of cittadinanza originaria since the mid-fifteenth century, when the oligarchy of the patriciate came into being. Although the chancellery secretaries did not have the right to vote in the Great Council or other councils, they exerted more influence on politics, administration and diplomacy than many poor patricians, and they drew various economic profits through their connections with powerful nobles. Moreover, the families from which the secretaries with high positions were recruited created strong ties to each other in various ways, such as marriage, thus becoming an ever more powerful and privileged group. In short, the making and the development of this class, along with the exclusion from politics of the majority of patricians, can be interpreted as an important change in the power structure of Venice.