Signoria of Venice facts for kids

Francesco Guardi's painting showing an important meeting in Venice's Doge's Palace.

The Signoria of Venice (pronounced See-nyor-EE-ah), also known as the Serenissima Signoria, was like the super-important main government team of the old Republic of Venice. Think of it as the top leadership group that ran everything!

Before the Signoria, Venice had a different government called the Commune of Venice. But by 1423, the Signoria started taking over, and it was officially made the main government in 1462. This powerful group even included the Doge, who was Venice's chief leader.

The Signoria wasn't just one person; it was a team. Imagine the Doge working closely with other important officials. Over time, these officials became equal partners in running the Republic.

A diagram showing how the government of the Venetian Republic was organized.

Who Were the Members of the Signoria of Venice?

The Signoria of Venice was made up of a few key people:

• The Doge: This was the head of the Republic, like a president or a king, but elected.
• The Minor Council (Minor Consiglio): This group was created way back in 1175 and had 6 special advisors who helped the Doge.
• The 3 leaders of the Quarantia: The Quarantia was Venice's highest court, and its three main leaders were also part of the Signoria.

What Was a Doge?

The word "Doge" comes from the Latin word dux, which means "leader." A Doge was the chief elected official in the republics of Venice (until 1797) and Genoa (until 1805). They were chosen for life, but their power was shared with other councils, especially the Signoria.

Why Was the Signoria So Important?

The Signoria was considered an incredibly important part of the government – even more important than the Doge himself! There was a famous saying that people would ritually say when a Doge died: se l'è morto el Doge, non-l'è morta la Signoria. This means, "The Doge is dead, but the Signoria is not dead." It showed that the government system was stronger and more lasting than any single leader.

See Also

• Republic of Venice
• The Quarantia (Venice's Supreme Court)
• Major Council (Another important Venetian government body)
• Minor Council (The Doge's advisors)
• Venetian nobility