Povijesni prilozi, Vol. 45 No. 70, 2026.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.22586/pp.v45i70.mp749k86
Per maritaggio monacale: Testamentary Legacy as a Form of Convent Dowry for Ragusan Girls in the Eighteenth Century
Minela Fulurija Vučić
Abstract
This paper examines the last will and testament of Frana Vodopić from 1713, by which a permanent charitable foundation was established in Ancona to support poor noble girls entering convents, alternately in Ancona and Dubrovnik. Drawing on archival sources from the State Archives in Dubrovnik and the Archive of the Dubrovnik Diocese, the study first analyses the content and structure of the testament, and subsequently traces the implementation of its provisions by the Dubrovnik government throughout the eighteenth century.
The foundation was organised in accordance with contemporary practices, with its capital invested in a monte, a type of pious financial fund. Vodopić established detailed rules regarding the management of the foundation, including supervision, administration, and the public drawing of candidates’ names. These provisions reveal her awareness of potential abuses and her intention to ensure the long-term and fair distribution of support.
Particular attention is devoted to the role of the Dubrovnik Senate, which repeatedly addressed issues related to the execution of the foundation. Through its decisions, the Senate regulated the selection process of candidates, adjusted deadlines, and oversaw the management of the capital. In doing so, it sought to reconcile the testator’s intentions with local circumstances, such as the limited capacity of women’s convents and broader financial constraints. The study also highlights the necessity of papal dispensations for modifying certain aspects of the foundation, thereby illustrating the interaction between local authorities and the Roman Curia.
The practical functioning of the foundation is further illustrated through two case studies of its beneficiaries, Frana Clasci and Mara Zamagna Cerva. Their admission into convent life, documented through standard procedures such as the examination of their vocation and the taking of vows, provides insight into the practical operation of the foundation. These examples also demonstrate the importance of such charitable funds for noble families who lacked the financial resources to provide the dowry required for entry into a convent.
By situating this case within a broader context, the paper demonstrates how a private act of piety could develop into a mechanism of long-term social and institutional significance. The foundation established by Frana Vodopić contributed not only to the support of individual women, but also to the functioning of female convents and the maintenance of trans-Adriatic connections between Dubrovnik and Ancona. At the same time, it illustrates the complex relationship between individual agency, ecclesiastical structures, and state authorities in the early modern period, as well as the role of charitable foundations in shaping the social and religious landscape of Dubrovnik.
Keywords
testamentary legacies; pious foundations; female convents; convent dowries; Dubrovnik; Ancona; 18th century
Hrčak ID:
349449
URI
Publication date:
15.7.2026.
Visits: 0 *