The political system within the Republic was closely related to the class system, with only nobles being allowed a vote in the Republic's affairs.

Consiglio Maggior
The Great Council was composed of the men from the noble families. Although the room they met in, the Sala del Maggior Consiglio that was located in the Palazzo Duccale, could accommodate up to two thousand it was rare that an assembly would exceed sixteen hundred. The council would meet two or three times a week in order to discuss matters of import such as the election to a place of political, administrative or military position. The nobles would be called to the chamber by two bells in the Campanile, bell tower which stood outside the Palazzo Duccale in St Marks Square. The first was the largest and was known as the Marangon. It would call the nobles to a meeting, its deep sonorous tones carrying over the city. The second was the smaller Trotteria which would indicate the assembly about to start and any stragglers should hurry up. When they were not in session or had some free time the Council members would meet around the base of the Campanile and in the broglio, once a vegetable garden of the Convent of San Zaccaria, where they would indulge in their trade of politics whilst enjoying some refreshment. It was here that much of the hard work was done and it was here that the Council Members might be discretely bought, which despite being a capital offence, was a permanent fixture of political life in Venice.

The Senate
Above the Great Council in the political structure of the Republic was the Senate. This was formed of 300 members and met in the Sala del Senato. The Senators were elected once a year from the Great Council. The senators had the right to stand for re-election to this unpaid post. The Senate was summoned to deliberate by the sounding of the Mezza Terza bell in the Campanile.

Signoria
A more senior body than the Senate, Signoria was a council of ten people. Composed of the Quarantia Criminal, and the Consiglio Minore. The Signoria was a more powerful deliberative body within the government.
The Quarantia Criminal were the three heads of the judicial courts and their office was honoured with an ex-officio membership of the Signoria.
The Consiglio Minore was the Cabinet of the Republic it was composed of the Doge and his six ministers who apart from their standard duties as the government of a prosperous empire, had to oversee the actions of the Council of Ten in its role of preserving the Republic.

Pieno Collegio This was a steering committee which acted as a guide to the Senate and the Great Council. The Pieno Collegio or Full College was formed from :

The Signoria

The Savii Agli Ordini

Savii means 'wise men' and the Savii Agli Ordini were the five senior civil servants in charge of ordering the affairs of the Venetian Republic and their overseas possessions.

The Savii de Terrafirma

Five 'wise men' responsible for Venice's mainland territories - The Veneto.

The Doge
The highest office in Venice was that of Doge, the local dialect corrupted Duke into Doge. Many Italians from outside the city often found the strange local dialect difficult to understand.
Elected by the Council of his peers by a complicated multi-stage voting system which in part involved voting for those who would vote for others to decide, the Doge would be presented to the public on his election the ritual words : "Here is your Doge, if it should please you." These words were uttered in remembrance of the fact the people could depose the Doge if they were mistreated.

Despite being the highest office a Venetian could hold, the position of Doge was hedged with many rules to prevent an abuse of power. When he became Doge the individual gave up any right to choose his wife and his sons were limited in how they could be employed by the state. The sons of a Doge could only hold the positions of Ambassador or Captain of a State Galley. It is interesting to note that the youngest Doge ever elected was aged 63 so the lifetime position of Doge was not all it was cracked up to be. The Doge was never left alone with foreign visitors and he could not answer a question on foreign policy without consulting his advisors. Also the Doge could not leave the city without permission and had all his letters opened by a secretary loyal to the Republic. Most of the Doges were elected from the Case Grandi and it was only in the rarest of circumstances that one was elected from outside this group. Perhaps by the redistribution of the candidates accumulation of great wealth.

eturn to Venetian Society...