Un negustor în slujba lui Constantin Brâncoveanu: epirotul Nica Papa zaraful
The moneylender Nica Papa : a merchant working for Constantin Brancoveanu

Summary/Abstract: Constantin Brâncoveanu’s long reign (1688-1714) marked a time of intense economic activities, of a magnificent cultural patronage and of an impressive diplomatic networking. The present study focuses on the life of an Epirot merchant, Nica Papa, which was deeply involved in the Wallachian trade during those years. As his nickname reveals, Nica Papa was a money changer and lender. Due to his trade abilities, but also to his connections with the powerful Greek community from Venice, Nica Papa became one of the most important providers of luxury goods from Wallachia. He managed to gain the trust of some of his most eminent clients, such as Constantin Brâncoveanu and the powerful Catacuzines. Thus, he was entrusted by them to transfer significant sums of money at Zecca, the Venetian Bank. After Nica Papa’s death, in mid 1716, his business was taken over by his son, Panaiotis Nica Papa, who also inherited his father’s reputation. However, unlike his father, Panaiotis only sporadically came in Wallachia, while he spent most of his life in Venice. The documentary evidence for this study was found in Romanian and Venetian archives. In the appendix of the article seven new documents are edited, including Nica Papa’s last will and testament.

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