Notarii Caransebeşului în secolul al XVII-lea / Caransebeş Notaries in the Seventeenth Century
Jan. 1, 2011
Keywords:
writing practice
Caransebeş
notary
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Abstract
One of the most important medieval and pre-modern institutions was the notary. Its importance was a practical
one, reflecting how the society reacts to the writing. With the widespread and more frequent custom of writing the
notaries acquire new meanings and are institutionalized.
In the Banat of Lugoj – Caransebes the institution of the notary is visible in documents from the XVI century.
Intermittently at first, notaries are mentioned and will be a continuing and active presence throughout the
seventeenth century. The practice and generalization of writing turned the notary into an indispensable official
for Caransebeş town and Severin County authorities. In the seventeenth century most notaries were recruited
from two small noble families of Caransebeş, Ivul and Bobic, for which the job offered the possibility of social
advancement. The jurisdiction of these officials, which write exclusively in Hungarian, reached to real estate
transactions, agreements between individuals and in relation to local authorities. Although very few documents
issued directly by notaries have been preserved, we are able to provide data on their duties and social environment
that they serve. The end of notary institution in the area must be linked to year 1658 when the towns of Mountain
Banat were ceded to the Ottomans.
