El Sacro Regio Consejo Napolitano entre historiografía y fuentes (Siglos XV-XVI)

Abstract

This research article aims to reconstruct with a methodological qualitative perspective the political role played by the Sacro Regio Consiglio starting from the controversial issue of origins, also analyzing compositions and skills.The comparison between this court and the equivalent Spanish institution the Consejo Real, brings out the importance assumed in the strategy of government of Spain by the Council that is configured as “essential dimension of the court”, instrument used by the Monarch in exercising his prerogatives of government and justice. With Ferdinando il Cattolico first and, subsequently, with Carlo V, the istitutional turn around that will connote the neapolitan State in an increasingly more absolue sense is realized in a definitive manner. The historical judgment and the historiographical tradition agree in considering the turning point of the Aragonese age in Naples, underlining the validity of the economic strategy of the internal politics and of the reforms introducing in the kingdom the outline of a “modern state” of Europea type. Of the side of domestic policy is Alfonso to implemen a process of administrative restructuring by introducing the Sacro Regio Consiglio, as the highest judicial instance, assigning a central function to directing the Regia Camera della Sommaria as a major financial court and restructurin the Gran Corte della Vicaria.