Organization and control of a medieval territory. Border disputes in Valdinievole in the late 13th century

Abstract

This study is based on a number of parchments dating from the second half of the 13th century, mostly from the Archivio diplomatico in the State Archive of Florence and from the State Archive Section of Pescia, and on the Liber censuum Comunis Pistorii. These documents concern a highly homogeneous area, i.e. the North-Western part of the Valdinievole (the valley between the towns of Lucca and Pistoia), an area that at the time was under the rule of Lucca (that was completing and steadying its territorial expansion) and was administratively organized as a “Vicarìa”. The research has above all allowed the building up of a set of examples of the ways of facing boundary disputes. At the same time, it has enlightened the administrative and management structures of the common resources in the ‘castle communes’ that, even if they are not towns, yet organize and structure themselves in a way very similar to that of towns; we have seen a specimen of the policy of territorial organization of a high-strategic periphery zone, protecting the Eastern side of the area dominated by Lucca. Some aspects of the town ruling on subjected communities and areas have also emerged.