Stanovništvo Rovinja prema najstarijoj matičnoj knjizi vjenčanih (1564. – 1640.)
Population of Rovinj according to the Oldest Marriage Registry Book (1564 – 1640)

Summary/Abstract: During the period of Venetian rule over Istria, Rovinj was among the most dynamic cities in terms of economy and demography. Owing to its geographic position, it maintained continuous relations with Venice and many considered it an attractive business destination. Newcomers originated from the surrounding Istrian towns, as well as from nearer or more distant Mediterranean regions. Their large numbers are attested in a number of sources, among others in marriage registry books. As for Rovinj, such registry books date from the period as early as immediately after the Council of Trent. The oldest marriage registry book (1564 – 1640) contains data about the size of wedding gifts (basadeg), which enables us to estimate the financial status of couples, including the newcomers. The size of wedding gifts also offers an interesting insight into the financial status of the Rovinj nobility. Among other things, marriage served to climb on the social ladder. In case of Rovinj, this is particularly evident in young male newcomers, who usually married wealthy women, primarily from the noble ranks, the size of the wedding gift being the largest in such cases.Professional orientation dictated the rhythm of life, including the time of the year when it was best to get married. Differences in the seasonal order of weddings between the nobility of Rovinj and other citizens have been observed. Besides the “winter peak”, the nobility of Rovinj mostly married in August. However, the August peak is not present when it comes to women from the same social layer, probably because the wedding date was defined by the bridegroom and depended on his profession. Other weddings in the parish show peak times in winter, autumn, and late spring. The seasonal order of weddings may also indicate the influx of new population. Thus, the case of Rovinj reveals a difference between the 1570s and the 1630s. This change (visible winter and autumn peaks in the latter period) may have resulted from an influx of newcomers from the rural parts of Istria. This article presents only the first research results concerning the population of Rovinj in the early modern period, which focused on the size of the wedding gift with regard to various social layers.

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