The Italian communities of medieval London and Southampton have received a great deal of attention from historians in the last decades, highlighting them as important case studies in the history of England’s immigrant population. However, this scrutiny only magnifies a relatively small national group in England, distorting the perception of them as a dominant alien community. Individuals identified as Italian constitute only 2% of the immigrants appearing in the England’s Immigrants 1330-1550 database, yet we know more about them than any other national group. This paper explores why this is the case, through various strands of investigation. Firstly, the nature of the administration of the alien subsidy in London highlights the particular focus on the Italian mercantile community, and contrasts this with the administration in Southampton. The Views of Hosts are also discussed, with hypotheses on why the scheme failed. Secondly, the perception of the Italians as a community is explored, not only from the point of view of the native population, but also of themselves as a group abroad. How did the Italians relate to each other and to the local community, how they perceived themselves as individuals and households, and the maintenance of their cultural identity. This discussion considers both the Italian community as a whole and the different national groups (Florentine, Genoese, Venetians, ...). Thirdly, the length of stay is examined, together with the related issue of integration into the local society: households are also assessed for the presence or absence of wives and children, and the national identity of their servants. A great deal of this comes directly from the research of England’s Immigrants, but it also uses wider documentary evidence, both in the UK and in Italy. Finally, notable absences of mercantile families from the tax records are taken into account, discussing how or why they escaped assessment.
Perception, Identity and Culture: The Italian Communities in Fifteenth-Century London and Southampton Revisited / Guidi Bruscoli Francesco, ; Lutkin, Jessica. - STAMPA. - (2017), pp. 89-104.
Perception, Identity and Culture: The Italian Communities in Fifteenth-Century London and Southampton Revisited
Guidi Bruscoli Francesco;
2017
Abstract
The Italian communities of medieval London and Southampton have received a great deal of attention from historians in the last decades, highlighting them as important case studies in the history of England’s immigrant population. However, this scrutiny only magnifies a relatively small national group in England, distorting the perception of them as a dominant alien community. Individuals identified as Italian constitute only 2% of the immigrants appearing in the England’s Immigrants 1330-1550 database, yet we know more about them than any other national group. This paper explores why this is the case, through various strands of investigation. Firstly, the nature of the administration of the alien subsidy in London highlights the particular focus on the Italian mercantile community, and contrasts this with the administration in Southampton. The Views of Hosts are also discussed, with hypotheses on why the scheme failed. Secondly, the perception of the Italians as a community is explored, not only from the point of view of the native population, but also of themselves as a group abroad. How did the Italians relate to each other and to the local community, how they perceived themselves as individuals and households, and the maintenance of their cultural identity. This discussion considers both the Italian community as a whole and the different national groups (Florentine, Genoese, Venetians, ...). Thirdly, the length of stay is examined, together with the related issue of integration into the local society: households are also assessed for the presence or absence of wives and children, and the national identity of their servants. A great deal of this comes directly from the research of England’s Immigrants, but it also uses wider documentary evidence, both in the UK and in Italy. Finally, notable absences of mercantile families from the tax records are taken into account, discussing how or why they escaped assessment.
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