Assistenza e carità nel tardo medioevo milanese : le trasformazioni istituzionali

Milan in the early fifteenth century was the seat of a number of charities(such as hospitals and confraternities), which found it more and moredifficult to cope with the demographic, sanitary and social crisis experiencedin that period. A complex dialogue, and sometimes conflict,between religious and political authorities developed in those decades,leading towards mid-century to the administrative pooling of hospitalsand other charities and to the building of a new general hospital (OspedaleGrande). The strength shown by ducal power in controlling andregulating public assistance went hand in hand with the participationof the town’s ruling classes in providing for poor and sick people and inmanaging the huge property of Milanese charities.