The Merchant of Prato - A Case Study in 15th-Century Communication

The PhD researcher, Thomas Godfrey, promotes the studies of Medieval Italy on his Instagram - recently he recommended Iris Origo's 'The Merchant of Prato'. It was back in my European and World history classes that our tutor first introduced us to Origo's work. Viewed as an invaluable insight into the medieval world of daily life, this book follows the Merchant (Francesco Datini) and his interactions as a businessman, family man, and citizen of the late fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. I recently revisited it to explore the role of letter writing in the domestic context. Throughout history, the home has been viewed as a distinct place for both individuals and ideas, like the idea of 'separate spheres', in Family Fortunes by Davidoff and Hall. While their study focuses on the 18th and 19th centuries, aspects of their framework remain useful when considering how medieval upper-middle-class houses distinguished between the public and the domestic. This blog post questions the role of letter writing in this period and how it shaped behaviours. It argues that while writing was a private affair, the ideas highlighted within were not always of social acceptability, reinforcing the invaluable space it created for families. 

As a merchant, Francesco spent extended periods of time away from his home. For him to continue to remain in contact with his wife, letter writing would be essential. Origo notes that letters between husbands and wives are quite rare in this period - as such, their existence is remarkable. Other medieval literary studies have focused on trade networks, like those constructed from the Cairo Genizah documents, as explored in Abraham's Luggage by Elizabeth Lambourn. The purpose of letter writing for Francesco and Margherita was not just to communicate what should or should not be done in the home; it was also a way for them to remain emotionally connected. 

There are numerous examples of Francesco and Margherita's letters being impassioned. For example, at the start of their time apart in 1382, Francesco writes, "Were you here, I would be more at ease." This language of longing highlights their relationship as a married couple, but also reinforces the social construct of patriarchy. While it is subtle, Francesco's desire here is made clear. For Margherita to uphold the role of a 'perfect' wife in the eyes of the patriarchy, she should endeavour to appease her husband: going to him. Her response demonstrates the acceptance of her husband's status and the temporary elevation she achieves through his words, "this you do of your own courtesy, and I am not worthy of so much honour. I have resolved to go not only to Pisa, but to the world’s end, if it pleases you.” Crucially, this is a private letter, and in private, her husband temporarily blurs the hierarchy of their relationship, as she is awarded the choice of where she goes. We must keep in mind that this letter comes from the earlier, and likely happier, years of their marriage. There is an essence of warmth and trust between them. This is a stark contrast to later on, when the issues of their marriage (and lack of children) becomes clearer. 

Their letters acted as a 'free space' to convey the needs of the home, as well as those of the individual. With privacy and the ability to discuss ideas, enabling their relationship to continue long-distance. Social constraints of what a family should be overshadowed their relationship. For Francesco, the need to secure an heir was vital and time-sensitive. Margherita was significantly younger than her husband, and so, in his eyes and those of wider society, should have easily produced an heir. There is a real contrast in how the couple speaks to each other by 1386. Only four years after Francesco's yearning for his wife, his tone has shifted. Instead of a yearning and elevated respect, Margherita is now thought of as lesser. Francesco commenting that her letters appeared "beyond the fashion of a young female." Clearly, the transition from respect to that of lesser in the relationship highlights the social expectations seeping into their private life. Their letters, which were once a space of mutual affection and the ability to express such equal ideas, was now tainted by social expectation. This was likely due to Francesco's desire to produce an heir, to assert his status over his wife, and perhaps to get her to further appease him. By viewing himself as above her, he further asserted his masculinity - a core trait for men to show leadership, and by extension familial potential. As such, this 'free space' was not transformed to an extension of societal pressure, continuously showing itself in their private life. [Almost as if it is a blurring of the two spheres, a bit like the ideas put forward by Davidoff and Hall.]

It could be argued that Francesco's transition from doting husband to bustling businessman altered his emotional responses. He was an established merchant at the time of his marriage to Margherita in 1376, but in 1382, his travels separated him from his wife. He could now only communicate with her through the written word. Because he was involved in the world of business in his day-to-day, he likely continued to operate in this psyche when he turned to write to his wife. This is evident in his letters instructing her on how to run the house. As such, the medium of letter writing could become a blurred space - the home being extended, but also subject to external pressures. For example, Origo notes that in times of crisis, it was Francesco who appeared to "soothe" while Margherita often appeared "sharper tongued." Their falling out over his comments on her juvenile status, and therefore not being able to write in such a manner as he received, is a prime example. This blatant reduction of her status provoked Margherita up, so much so that she resorted to the social class structures of noble blood. Margherita was originally related to the noble Gherardini family, while Francesco was of new money. Clearly, social distinctions could be used personally to elevate, or remind the other of one's position - both privately and publicly, again blurring the private space that letters sought to create. 

As we have already seen, relationships, and by extension, children were a common topic of their letters. Despite Margherita not producing an heir for Francesco, he did have illegitimate children. Often, in this period, it was common for those illegitimate children to be placed in foundling hospitals. Here, they would be adopted, or in some cases, returned to their families later on. In the case of one of Francesco's children,  Ginevra, she did return home. Margherita eventually softened after initially not wanting Ginevra in the home. This could have been for a variety of reasons, but was most likely due to her loneliness. Children came under the domain of the home, and Margherita, having none of her own, likely wanted to fulfil this obligation too. 

It is clear that, despite the social position of children born outside of wedlock, care and compassion were still visible. While there is a clear mixing of social expectation and relationship interactions between husbands and wives, the letters seen through Origo's study highlight that, in the case of children, social expectations often faded. Woven into the fabric of Florentine society, care is seen through the exchanges of these personal letters. While it could be argued that Margherita only does so as Francesco has no heir, it is clear that they are not the only example of a household caring so much, for a foundling.  For example, in contrast to the advice of notable parenting scholar Fra Giovanni Dominici (who believed girls should be 'kept trembling'), others parents commented on the 'sweetness' of their foundling, and urged for care and fair treatment. It is clear that, unlike the expected distance between parents and children - as would have been common in public - in private, the story was much different. When Ginevra had a sore throat, Margherita wrote to her husband: “Do not distress yourself about Ginevra, but be assured that I look after as if she were my own, as indeed I consider her.” Here, Margherita's actions suggest she undertakes the role of caretaker herself - quite unusual for a wealthy woman who could maintain distance and appoint a servant instead. Family structures, while complex, were protected from social expectation in the family space, ultimately extended to their letters.

To summarise, letters provided an open emotional landscape for their users. In the cases of husbands and wives, they often became means of advancing their statuses and a way to remain connected. For families, they became a space to inform, but also to show care. Unlike the expectations of society, letters provide key insight into her family, and individuals operated in the private space of the home. The distinctions of social expectations within certain letters reinforce that letters became personal spaces - a place for ideas to be received. 

For further reading, see:

Iris Origo, The Merchant of Prato, (Penguin, 2017) 

Elizabeth Lambourn, Abraham's Luggage: A Social Life of Things in the Medieval Indian Ocean World (Cambridge University Press, 2018)