During the
Middle Ages, Italy was the cradle of many modern institutions at the basis of commercial law. Around the 16th century, the trade of Italian
maritime republics was the promoter of the birth of commercial law: the jurist
Benvenuto Stracca, (
Ancona, 1509–1579) published in 1553 the treatise
De mercatura seu mercatore tractats; it was one of the first, if not the first, legal imprint dealing specifically with commercial law. This treatise focused on merchants and merchant contracts, practices and maritime rights, to which he soon added extensive discussions of
bankruptcy, factors and commissions, third party transfers, and
insurance. For this reason, Stracca is often considered the father of commercial law and author of the first Italian treaty about the insurance contract, beyond about the commerce. The legal work of Italian jurists had an impact on
Holland,
Germany,
England and
France. ==See also==