Merchants in Florence, Knights under the rule of the kings of Aragon. The Tecchini-Taquí between the 14th and the 15th century

Abstract

The path of the Tecchinis is a relevant example of a Florentine family’s naturalization in the Catalan-Aragonese kingdoms. In contrast to many of their conationals, the record of Tecchini-Taquí is characterized by their long presence and by establishing a unique integration process, which involved a transgression of social rank from merchants to knights in less then a century. The key to their achievements was double identity and the coexistence of the Tuscan merchant’s typical skills with the involvements of the great mercantile Catalan families. As a result they could cover the role of intermediates between Florentine companies and the local world. The members of this family also made use of a direct and privileged relation with the Crown, established due to the professional services they offered to the monarchs.