Milanese public Debt and Genoese financial Operators (1644-1656)

Using the complex Milanese public debt's history of the Milanese dukedom of the 17(th) century as a background, this essay examines the dense correspondence between an influential Genoese investor, Gio. Filippo Spinola, and his Milan sales representative, Gio. Batta Fieschi. This business client-correspondent relationship underlines the importance of one of the most relevant business partnerships of the 17th century Genoese financial market. Even the Balbis, one of the most influential Genoese business families, with the contribution of the banker Stefano, the Monte di S. Carlo's new administrator, play a relevant role within the complex Spanish Lombard public debt's structure. This private correspondence allows to fully grasp the political and financial mechanisms which governed the daily professional activities of the bankers of the time. With his arrogant behaviour, Stefano Balbi demonstrates that economic and financial interests not always clash with family and group business.