Monti Frumentari in the Kingdom of Naples (17th - 18th centuries)

Monti di pietà and monti frumentari: were they charitable institutions or credit institutions? On the morrow of the unity of Italy, the compilers of statistics on pious institutions in the newly constituted kingdom had difficulties in defining their nature. Since they had been established to "aid" and "support" local communities by lending money or grain, they continued to be included among pious institutions. This, however, complicated their administrative management.It was one thing to apply the laws on pious institutions to hospitals and orphanages, another to apply it to institutions which exacted payment for their services by charging an interest, albeit a very small one.