Pages: 255-275

The life of the Latins in the Genoese Gazaria was strongly regulated; laws, rules and instructions had to be followed without any exceptions. The fall of Constantinople in 1453 and subsequent transfer of the Ligurians’ property rights over their Black Sea manors to St. George Bank (Banco di San Giorgio) had a tremendous impact on the political situation in the region and brought some changes to this norm. The Guasco family stands out among other Crimean inhabitants; the way of life and deeds of its representatives are a bright demonstration of how social structures behave in critical situations and how they interact with power institutes. In 1459—1460, Andreolo di Guasco builds a powerful dungeon, later to be developed into a private castle. Its construction was absolutely legal, following a prior well-argued request from the landowner to the Genoese administration for an official permit to proceed to the works. The events were accompanied by numerous conflicts and scandals, which, besides the owner of the manor in Tasili, also involved consuls of Kaffa and Soldaia.

Keywords: Crimea, Genoese Gazaria, Tasili, Guasco, medieval fortifications, castle, dungeon, machicolations

Information about author:

Vladimir Kirilko (Simferopol, Crimea). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute of Archaeology of Crimea of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Academician Vernadsky Ave., 2, Simferopol, 295007, Crimea
E-mail: [email protected]