«Mandalo incontinente a pigliare et fagli dare quattro tracti di corda» Qualche osservazione sui rapporti tra i duchi e l’amministrazione estense nel tardo Quattrocento, a partire dal Caleffini

In the 15th century there were several dozen officials in charge of administering the Dukes of Este, and their numbers were destined to increase significantly over time. It has already been noted, in as much as the available studies reveal, that the officials were prefera-bly citizens of Ferrara, often had a background in legal studies, and retained the positions within their families, passing them from fa-ther to son or from one brother to the next. However, a study of the extensive administrative documentation, and extant correspond-ence in particular, which might shine light on the dynamics between the Este family and their collaborators has yet to be attempted. Among the elements that might help in providing a less superficial understanding of the Dukes in the late medieval period are: the nec-essary time for and the methods of paying the officials, the conces-sions of or removals from these positions, outrageous requests for undue retribution or, conversely, the inability to obtain legitimate payment of taxes. Analyzing these dynamics may help to understand the Dukes’ strategies regarding management and loyalty, but also the dimensions and characteristics of their patronage networks. This paper, which analyzes several letters written between Borso, Ercole, and their officials, hopes to inspire new research on the topic.