Performance of the Florentine Economy, 1494-1512: Moneys and Accountancy

This is the first in a series of studies of the Florentine economy from 1494 to 1512, a period of considerable political instability both at home and abroad. Since the principal source is the city's rich patrimony of accounts books, this first article concentrates on technical monetary problems, in particular the complex co-existence of several moneys-of-account and the increased circulation of the gold florin. The conclusion points to some of the economic, social and even cultural implications of the discussion.