Republic of Venice

The Most Serene Republic of Venice was a Venetian city-state in Northeastern Italy, based around the city of Venice. It existed from the 9th century until the 18th century (1797). It is often referred to as the Serenissima, which is Latin for its title, "Most Serene."

Government

In the early years of the republic, the political system can be classified as an autocracy, with the Doge as the almost absolute ruler. In 1223, the aristocratic families of Rialto drastically diminished the powers of the Doge by the establishment of an advisory body that would later be called the Quarantia and a supreme tribunal which would later be called the Signoria. They also created two bodies called sapientes which later grew into six bodies. The combination of sapientes and certain other groups was called a collegio, a kind of ministry to carry out the functions of government. A senate, called the Consiglio dei Pregadi was organized in 1229 with sixty members elected by the Major Council1. During this period the Doge had little real power left, and actual authority was exercised by the Great Council, an extremely limited parliament-like body in which only members of the great aristocratic families of the republic were allowed to participate. Venice claimed that its government was a 'classical republic' because it was a fusion of the three basic forms present in a mixed government: with the regal power in the Doge, the aristocratic in the senate, and the democratic in the Great Council2.

Related Topics:
Political system - Autocracy - Doge - 1223 - Quarantia - Signoria - Sapientes - Consiglio dei Pregadi - 1229 - Major Council - Great Council - Parliament-like - Republic - Mixed government

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In 1335, a 'Council of Ten' was established and became so powerful and secretive that by circa 1600 its powers had to be delimited3. Its powers varied over time, from subordinance to the Great Council to dominance over it.

Related Topics:
1335 - Council of Ten - 1600

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