Universities
Given the prominent role of the guilds in the government of Florence, in 1427, Florentine greater nobles, led by Rinaldo degli Albizzi and Niccolo da Uzzano, attempted to introduce measures in the Signoria of Florence to reduce the number of minor guilds from fourteen to seven, thereby reducing the number of their representatives in the government. This attempt was narrowly defeated, largely by the singular efforts of Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici, an action which cemented the popularity of the Medici family among the common burghers (against the Grandi) and helped them rise to power. But a little over a century later, another Medici, Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, reduced the number of minor guilds from fourteen to four, by grouping disparate guilds together into "universities". The four new universities organized by the law of July 17, 1534 were:
- L'Università di Por San Piero ("University of St. Peter's Gate") - grouped together the Beccai (butchers), Oliandoli (provisioners) and the Fornai (bakers).
- l'Università de' Fabbricanti ("University of Artificers") - grouped together the guilds of Chiavaiuoli (locksmiths), Maestri di Pietre e Legnami (masters of stone and wood), Corazzai e Spadai (armourers) and Legnaiuoli (carpenters).
- l'Università de' Maestri di Cuoiame ("University of Masters of Leather") - grouped the Calzolai (shoemakers), Galigai (Tanners) and Coreggiai (saddlers).
- l'Università de' Linaiuoli ("University of Linen-drapers") added to the old Linaiuoli guild not only the associated Rigattieri (retailers) and Sarti (tailors), but also the unrelated Vinattieri (vintners) and Albergatori (innkeepers).
The university of Cuoiame was annexed in 1561 by the major guild of Vaiai e Pellicciai (Furriers and Skinners), and the new entity named Arte dei Vaiai e Cuoiame. The universities of San Piero and Fabbricanti were merged in 1583, into a single university, the Università dei Fabbricanti e Por San Piero.
All the Florentine guilds, major and minor, were abolished in 1770, by the decree of Emperor Joseph II (as Grand Duke of Tuscany), assigning their functions to the single Florentine chamber of commerce (Camera di Commercio, Arti e Manifatture), with the exception of the Arte dei Giudici e Notai (Judges & Notaries), which lingered on until it was finally abolished in 1777 by a new decree.
Read more about this topic: Guilds Of Florence
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