Signoria

"Signore" redirects here. For the honorific, seeItalian honorifics.For the village in India, seeSignore, Udaipurwati.

Palazzo Vecchio,the former seat of the Signoria ofFlorence

Asignoria(Italian:[siɲɲoˈriːa]) was the governing authority in many of theItalian city-statesduring theMedievalandRenaissanceperiods. The wordsignoriacomes fromsignore(Italian:[siɲˈɲoːre]), or "lord",an abstract noun meaning (roughly)" government "," governing authority ",de facto"sovereignty", "lordship";pl.:signorie.

Signoriaversus thecomune

In Italian history the rise of thesignoriais a phase often associated with the decline of themedieval communesystem of government and the rise of the dynastic state. In this context the wordsignoria(here to be understood as "lordly power" ) is used in opposition to the institution of the commune or city republic.

Contemporary observers and modern historians see the rise of thesignoriaas a reaction to the failure of thecomunito maintain law-and-order and suppress party strife and civil discord. In the anarchic conditions that often prevailed in medievalItalian city-states,people looked to strong men to restore order and disarm the feuding elites.

In times of anarchy or crisis, cities sometimes offered thesignoriato individuals perceived as strong enough to save the state. For example, theTuscanstate ofPisaoffered thesignoriatoCharles VIII of Francein the hope that he would protect the independence of Pisa from its long term enemyFlorence.Similarly,Sienaoffered thesignoriatoCesare Borgia.

Types

The composition and specific functions of thesignoriavaried from city to city. In some states (such asVeronaunder theDella Scalafamily or Florence in the days ofCosimo de MediciandLorenzo the Magnificent), thepolitywas what we would term today aone-party statein which the dominant party had vested thesignoriaof the state in a single family or dynasty.

In Florence, the arrangement was unofficial, as it was not constitutionally formalized before theMediciwere expelled from the city in 1494.

In other states (such as theVisconti of Milan), the dynasty's right to thesignoriawas a formally recognized part of the commune's constitution, which had been "ratified" by the people and recognized by thepopeor the Holy Roman Empire.

The term is also used to refer to certain small feudal holdings inSicilysimilar tomanorial lordshipsand, like them, were established inNormantimes. With the abolition of feudalism in Sicily in 1812, some of the holdings became baronies. More often, a barony consisted of several signorie.

Use of word

In a few states, the word was sometimes used to refer to theconstitutional governmentof a republic rather than the power exercised by an individualmonarchor noble family.

For example, the word was sometimes used in Renaissance times to refer to the government of the Republics ofFlorenceor ofVenice,as in Shakespeare'sOthelloin which Othello says:

"Let him do his spite:

My services which I have done the signiory

Shall out-tongue his complaints "

– (Act one, scene one)

Occasionally, the word referred to specific organs or functions of the state. Thesignoriain theRepublic of Florencewas the highest executive organ, and theSignoriaof theRepublic of Venicewas mainly a judicial body.

List ofsignorie

City	Family	Period	Allegiance	Notes
Monaco	Grimaldi	1287–1612	Guelph	Gained independence fromGenoain 1287. TitledPrinces of Monacosince 1612.
Milan	Della Torre	1259–1277	Guelph	Deposed by Ghibelline party, led by Visconti.
	Visconti	1277–1302	Ghibelline	Took over Milan afterBattle of Desioin 1277. Deposed by Della Torre in 1302.
	Della Torre	1302–1311	Guelph	Deposed and exiled by EmperorHenry VII.
	Visconti	1311–1395	Ghibelline	Re-enthroned by Henry VII in 1311. TitledDukes of Milanfrom 1395.
Mantua	Bonacolsi	1272–1328	Variable	Overthrown in a revolt backed by Gonzaga in 1328.
	Gonzaga	1328–1433	Ghibelline	TitledMargraves of Mantuafrom 1433.
Verona	Della Scala	1282–1387	Ghibelline	Overthrown by aVisconti-backed revolt in 1387.
Treviso	Da Camino	1283–1312	Guelph	Overthrown in a conspiracy in 1312.
Padua	Da Carrara	1318–1405	Guelph	Overthrown by theRepublic of Venicein 1405.
Ferrara	Este	1209–1471	Guelph	TitledDukes of Ferrarafrom 1471.
Modena		1336–1471		TitledDukes of Modena and Reggiofrom 1471.
	Pio	1336–1599	Unclear	Titled Lords ofCarpi(1336-1527) andSassuolo(1499-1599)
Bologna	Pepoli	1337–1350	Guelph	Overthrown byViscontiarmy in 1350.
	Bentivoglio	1401–1506	Ghibelline	Overthrown byPope Julius IIin 1506.
Ravenna	Da Polenta	1275–1441	Guelph	Overthrown and exiled by theRepublic of Venicein 1441.
Forlì	Ordelaffi	1295–1359 (Interregnum) 1376–1480	Ghibelline	Declined due to conflicts inside city. Peacefully deposed in 1480.
	Riario	1480–1499	Guelph	De facto a satellite ofMilanfrom 1488, under regentCaterina Sforza. Overthrown byCesare Borgiain 1499.
	Borgia	1499–1503	Guelph	Ruled over allRomagna,with Cesare asDuke of Romagna.
	Ordelaffi	1503–1504	Ghibelline	Line extinct in 1504.
Pesaro	Malatesta	1285–1445	Guelph	Overthrown in a coup led by theSforzain 1445.
Rimini		1295–1500		Overthrown byCesare Borgiain 1500.
Cesena		1378–1465		Line extinct in 1465.
Urbino	Da Montefeltro	1213–1234	Ghibelline	TitledCounts of Urbino(the Dukes) from 1234.
Lucca	Quartigiani	1308–1316	Guelph	Overthrown in a coup led by theAntelminelliin 1316.
	Antelminelli	1316–1328	Ghibelline	Overthrown by Guelph party in 1328.
	Guinigi	1400–1430	Guelph	Deposed by the restoration of theRepublicin 1430.
Florence	Medici	1434–1494 (Interregnum) 1512–1527 (Interregnum) 1530–1532	Guelph	TitledDukes of Florencefrom 1532.
Pisa	Della Gherardesca	1316–1347	Ghibelline	Deposed and replaced by the Gambacorta family in 1347.
	Gambacorta	1347–1392	Guelph	Overthrown by a conspiracy in 1392.
	Appiano	1392–1399	Unclear	Overthrown by theViscontiin 1399.
	Visconti	1399–1406	Ghibelline	Overthrown by theRepublic of Florencein 1406.
Siena	Petrucci	1487–1525	Ghibelline	Peacefully deposed byrepublicaninstitutions in 1525.

See also

• Seignory
• Signoria of Florence
• Signoria of Venice
• Forni della Signoria