THE BISHOPS’ BOOKS OF CITTÀ DI CASTELLO IN CONTEXT

Revisiting Robert Brentano's 1960 article in Traditio on “The Bishops’ Books of Città di Castello,” this contribution challenges a reigning narrative the “documentary revolution” medieval Italy as primarily achievement thirteenth-century communal governments north. While these urban ruling regimes did produce prodigious numbers documents and new documentary forms, they were not earliest innovators. By broadening scope analysis to include all early administrative codices surviving Castello — those city's government, cathedral chapter, bishopric author demonstrates that initial leap from reliance single sheet parchments registers occurred chapter (by 1192), then bishop's court (1207), finally more than decade later commune (1221). At least one small Umbrian town, ecclesiastical institutions The evidence also indicates political instability its related economic effects drove innovation, reform initiatives Innocent III Fourth Lateran Council. Local leaders, popes,