Accounting data reveal the initial steps of the venerable Confraternity of Mercy of Siena (1835–1837)

Abstract

The origins and activities of lay brotherhoods, widespread for centuries across European cities, represent a fascinating area of research for scholars, not only from a socio-political perspective but also an economic one, given the charitable work these institutions carried out to support the needy as part of their core mission. Siena, a city renowned as a treasure trove of medieval culture and art, was no exception in fostering such initiatives. As early as 1090, the canons of the Cathedral established the first nucleus of a hospital structure that replaced the primitive xenodochio, a place of rest and care for pilgrims traveling along the Via Francigena on their way to Rome and Jerusalem.

This study focuses on the Confraternity of Mercy, established in Siena in 1833 following the transformation of the preexisting Compagnia di S. Antonio Abate, whose origins date back to the 14th century. By then, the Compagnia had exhausted its initial charitable purpose. The research is grounded in the first accounting records of administrative summaries produced by the Confraternity between 1835 and 1837, known as rendimento di conto. These documents have a strictly financial nature, contrasting the revenues recorded during the reference year—membership fees from brothers and sisters, donations, alms, etc.—with expenditures from the same period. These expenses included pie elargizioni (pious gifts), purchases of linens for the sick, acquisition of equipment, and costs related to divine worship.

The accounting data reveal the rapid growth of the Confraternity, driven by generous monetary contributions from Siena's charitable citizens and the voluntary services of doctors and surgeons who treated the sick without charge, as well as pharmacists who dispensed medicine for free. Equally important to the development of the Confraternity was the consistent pursuit of financial consolidation under the direction of the camarlingo. While the passage of time has transformed the culture of social communities, the need to care for the most vulnerable persists, and the Sienese Confraternity continues to meet these needs with dedication and generosity.