The role of Crisis in the Genesis of Libri Iurium: some remarks on Northern Italian cases

The numerous moments of ‘crisis’ that medieval Italian Communes had to endure in their history often represented significant opportunities for renewal in various aspects. Among these, particularly important are the developments in the municipal and ecclesiastical writing systems that frequently emerged from challenging circumstances and quickly became a driving force and support for further progress in institutional organizations. This contribution intends to determine the influence that critical moments had on the development and evolution of Italian ‘libri iurium’ since their very first appearance in the end of 12th century and then through the 13th century, focusing in particular on some cases from Northern Italy like Lodi and Como.