Page 218 - Mediterranea-ricerche storiche, n. 48, aprile 2020flip

218 Beatrice Zucca Micheletto

masters in gaining access to the manufacturing system of the charity
institutions. This was true for Giacomo Filippo Brunetta and Gio Batta
Benissone. In 1732 they were given permission to establish a
manufacture for processing silk fabrics and gauzes in the Albergo di
Virtù. Significantly, both were masters in the Turinese guild of the
merchant-manufacturers of silk, gold and silver fabrics. Moreover,
Brunetta was an officer of this guild while Benissone was the former
director of the silk manufactory in Cuneo . It is likely that both the
50
entrepreneurs were able to enter the economic system of one of the
most important Turinese institutions thanks to their position in the
guild, and presumably, to their reputation.
From another point of view, it should be noted that the ability of
some entrepreneurs to enter the charity institutions was linked to the
economic policy carried out by the central power, especially by Victor
Amadeus II, at the very beginning of the eighteenth century. This
exemplified in the case of Cornelio Wanderkrik, a Flemish wool cloths
manufacturer, who arrived in the capital encouraged by the royal edict
issued in April 1701. The edict stated that all foreigners bringing new
business and manufactures in the state were welcome and could enjoy
specific economic, symbolic and political privileges. A similar law was
enacted also in 1723 (confirmed in 1725, 1729 and 1770), according
to which artisans/entrepreneurs who settled in the state could enjoy
a range of fiscal exemptions: they were granted lifelong exemption from
personal taxation and any other tax required from foreigners by cities
or local communities. In addition they were exempted for ten years
from some indirect taxes, and were usually exempted from the ubena
law (for people coming from the countries where this law applied) .
51
They could also freely profess their religion, as often they belonged to
Reformed confessions.
The already cited Jean Boullement, instead, arrived in Turin in
March 1728, after having signed the agreement with the Ospedale di
Carità. Significantly, the agreement took place in Paris, in front of the
secretary of the Piedmontese embassy. This elucidates yet another
aspect: many merchants and artisans who were in business with the
charity institutions were actually selected and employed by agents and
officers who, on behalf of the king, travelled around Europe looking for
motivated entrepreneurs who were ready to move to Piedmont and to

50 Ibidem, Memoriale a capi colle risposte (…), pp. 305-310.
51 The ubena law settled the inheritance rights of those who were not subjects of the
king. Basically foreigners were not allowed to transmit their estate and property to
foreigner offspring. When a foreigner passed away, in theory, his/her goods and estate
could be confiscated by the state. The ubena law could be bypassed by applying for
naturalization or through an economic privilege.

Mediterranea - ricerche storiche - Anno XVII - Aprile 2020
ISSN 1824-3010 (stampa) ISSN 1828-230X (online)