Benedetto Cotrugli

Benedetto Cotrugli (Benedikt "Beno" Kotruljević; 1416–1469) was a Ragusan merchant, economist, scientist, diplomat and humanist.

Life
Benedetto Cotrugli was born into a merchant family in the prosperous maritime city of Ragusa (modern-day Dubrovnik), part of the Republic of Ragusa during the Renaissance. This city-state was known for its significant involvement in Mediterranean trade networks, which were instrumental in the cultural and economic development of the region.

From a young age, Cotrugli was immersed in the vibrant commercial environment of Ragusa. His family’s involvement in trade provided him with early exposure to the complexities of merchant activities, a common upbringing for members of the Ragusan nobility. This experience is likely to have sparked his initial interest in economic theories and practices, which he later explored in his writings

The Republic of Ragusa, being a hub of international trade, offered Cotrugli insights into the broader economic interactions across the Mediterranean. These formative experiences played a crucial role in shaping his perspective on commerce and trade, which he articulated in his seminal work, "Della mercatura e del mercante perfetto" (Book on the Art of Trade).

As a diplomat of the Kingdom of Naples, he spent some 15 years in the Court of Naples where he led many discussions and polished his thoughts on humanist subjects. From 1451 until 1469 he lived in Naples. He died in Aquila.

Education
Cotrugli’s education at the University of Bologna, a leading institution during the Renaissance, is not detailed extensively in terms of specific courses or programs. However, the academic environment and the humanist curriculum of the university are known to have profoundly influenced his intellectual development. His humanist education provided him with a broad understanding of ethics, philosophy, and science, which he later applied to commerce and trade.

Cotrugli’s blend of humanist and practical education enabled him to contribute significantly to the fields of commerce and accounting, illustrating the Renaissance ideal of a well-rounded education impacting professional practice. His work not only shows the application of humanist learning to commercial endeavors but also marks a significant contribution to the development of modern economic practices.

Surviving manuscripts
The earliest extant copy of Cotrugli's manuscript Libro de l'Arte de la Mercatura (Book on the Art of Trade) is kept in the National Library of Malta and is dated 1475, although the original manuscript was dated 1458. This manuscript is particularly notable for its chapter on double-entry bookkeeping, which is recognized as one of the earliest known written treatments of the subject.

The text of his 1458 manuscript Della mercatura e del mercante perfetto is followed by an appendix containing an inventory and many journal entries. It contains an early description of the double-entry bookkeeping system, predating the description made by Luca Pacioli in his Summa de arithmetica of 1494.

Cotrugli's "Book of the Art of Trade" is noted as potentially being a 15th-century counterpart to modern texts on deal-making.

Heritage
In 2007 the Croatian state devoted a silver 150 kuna commemorative coin to Cotrugli.

Cotrugli is the patron of the Cotrugli Business school, with branches in Zagreb, Belgrade, and Ljubljana.