| Summary: | In high medieval Europe, documentary writing gained a new meaning with the ‘practical turn’ it took around 1200. From then onwards, the production of written material increased growingly and new types of documents appeared, inspired by a sort of ‘final-balance spirit’. The administration of lordships, that of the nascent Stales and Italian cities, provided a scenario for such transformations; their ultimate expression is to be found in registers, fiscal and accounts ledgers, as well as sources of law and jurisprudence. Commercial and household records were a late development, although they had been within the competence of notaries for a long time. Our study concludes with an appraisal of the social reach of instruction, the goals of that new writing culture, and its archive systems.
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