Francesco Balducci Pegolotti
Encyclopedia
Francesco Balducci Pegolotti (fl.
1310 - 1347), also Francesco di Balduccio, was a Florentine
merchant and politician. His father, Balduccio Pegolotti, represented Florence in commercial negotiations with Siena
in 1311. His brother, Rinieri di Balduccio, was suspected of connivance in the disappearance of a gold shipment in 1332.
Francesco Pegolotti himself was a businessman in the service of the Compagnia dei Bardi
, and in this capacity we find him at Antwerp from 1315 (or earlier) to 1317. He was a director of the London
office from 1317 to 1321, and is recorded (as Balduch) as having dealt directly with King Edward II
. He was in Cyprus
from 1324 to 1327, and again in 1335. In 1324 at Famagusta
he negotiated a reduction of customs duties for the Compagnia dei Bardi and for those identified as Florentine
merchants by the Bardi representative in the city. In 1335 he obtained from the King of Armenia
a grant of privileges for Florentine trade. In 1331 and again in 1342 he was involved in Florentine politics as a Gonfalionere di Compagnia; in 1346 he held a higher position, Gonfalionere di Giustizia. In 1347, when the Compagnia dei Bardi collapsed, Pegolotti was among those who dealt with the consequences of the bankruptcy.
Between 1335 and 1343 he compiled the work for which he is famous, the Libro di divisamenti di paesi e di misuri di mercatanzie e daltre cose bisognevoli di sapere a mercatanti, commonly known as the Pratica della mercatura
. Beginning with a glossary
of Italian and foreign terms then in use in trade, the Pratica next describes nearly all the major trading cities then known to Italian
merchants; the imports and exports of various regions; the business customs prevalent in each of those regions; and the comparative value of coinages, weights and measures.
The most distant trade route described by Pegolotti is that from Azov
via Astrakhan
, Khiva
, Otrar
and Kulja to Beijing
. He also details the route from Ayas
on the Cilicia
n coast of Turkey via Sivas, Erzingan and Erzerum to Tabriz
in Persia.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1310 - 1347), also Francesco di Balduccio, was a Florentine
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
merchant and politician. His father, Balduccio Pegolotti, represented Florence in commercial negotiations with Siena
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
in 1311. His brother, Rinieri di Balduccio, was suspected of connivance in the disappearance of a gold shipment in 1332.
Francesco Pegolotti himself was a businessman in the service of the Compagnia dei Bardi
Compagnia dei Bardi
The Compagnia dei Bardi was a Florentine banking and trading company which was started by the Bardi family. The Bardi company was one of three major Florentine banking companies that assembled large amounts of capital and established wide-ranging, diversified business networks, doing business...
, and in this capacity we find him at Antwerp from 1315 (or earlier) to 1317. He was a director of the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
office from 1317 to 1321, and is recorded (as Balduch) as having dealt directly with King Edward II
Edward II of England
Edward II , called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed by his wife Isabella in January 1327. He was the sixth Plantagenet king, in a line that began with the reign of Henry II...
. He was in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
from 1324 to 1327, and again in 1335. In 1324 at Famagusta
Famagusta
Famagusta is a city on the east coast of Cyprus and is capital of the Famagusta District. It is located east of Nicosia, and possesses the deepest harbour of the island.-Name:...
he negotiated a reduction of customs duties for the Compagnia dei Bardi and for those identified as Florentine
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
merchants by the Bardi representative in the city. In 1335 he obtained from the King of Armenia
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia , also known as the Cilician Armenia, Kingdom of Cilician Armenia or New Armenia, was an independent principality formed during the High Middle Ages by Armenian refugees fleeing the Seljuk invasion of Armenia...
a grant of privileges for Florentine trade. In 1331 and again in 1342 he was involved in Florentine politics as a Gonfalionere di Compagnia; in 1346 he held a higher position, Gonfalionere di Giustizia. In 1347, when the Compagnia dei Bardi collapsed, Pegolotti was among those who dealt with the consequences of the bankruptcy.
Between 1335 and 1343 he compiled the work for which he is famous, the Libro di divisamenti di paesi e di misuri di mercatanzie e daltre cose bisognevoli di sapere a mercatanti, commonly known as the Pratica della mercatura
Pratica della mercatura
The Florentine merchant Francesco Balducci Pegolotti compiled his Libro di divisamenti di paesi e di misuri di mercatanzie e daltre cose bisognevoli di sapere a mercatanti between 1335 and 1343, probably within the period 1339 to 1340...
. Beginning with a glossary
Glossary
A glossary, also known as an idioticon, vocabulary, or clavis, is an alphabetical list of terms in a particular domain of knowledge with the definitions for those terms...
of Italian and foreign terms then in use in trade, the Pratica next describes nearly all the major trading cities then known to Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
merchants; the imports and exports of various regions; the business customs prevalent in each of those regions; and the comparative value of coinages, weights and measures.
The most distant trade route described by Pegolotti is that from Azov
Azov
-External links:** *...
via Astrakhan
Astrakhan
Astrakhan is a major city in southern European Russia and the administrative center of Astrakhan Oblast. The city lies on the left bank of the Volga River, close to where it discharges into the Caspian Sea at an altitude of below the sea level. Population:...
, Khiva
Khiva
Khiva is a city of approximately 50,000 people located in Xorazm Province, Uzbekistan. It is the former capital of Khwarezmia and the Khanate of Khiva...
, Otrar
Otrar
Otrar or Utrar is a Central Asian ghost town that was a city located along the Silk Road near the current town of Karatau in Kazakhstan. Otrar was an important town in the history of Central Asia, situated on the borders of settled and agricultural civilizations...
and Kulja to Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. He also details the route from Ayas
Ayas (city)
Ayas is a small town in Yumurtalık district, Adana Province, Turkey, located east of the mouth of the Ceyhan River. It was the ancient Aegea and medieval Ajazzo or Lajazzo. It passed between the Mamluks and the Armenians several times in the 13th and 14th centuries, and was definitively taken by...
on the Cilicia
Cilicia
In antiquity, Cilicia was the south coastal region of Asia Minor, south of the central Anatolian plateau. It existed as a political entity from Hittite times into the Byzantine empire...
n coast of Turkey via Sivas, Erzingan and Erzerum to Tabriz
Tabriz
Tabriz is the fourth largest city and one of the historical capitals of Iran and the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. Situated at an altitude of 1,350 meters at the junction of the Quri River and Aji River, it was the second largest city in Iran until the late 1960s, one of its former...
in Persia.