Canonum De Ius Rex
Canons of Sovereign Law

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2.11 Venetian - Roman Law Form

Article 127 - Doge

Canon 6426 (link)

The term Doge, from “Doga” is the title used by the head of state of three separate Italian based maritime communes and republics during the middle ages being Pisa from 1006 CE, Venice from 1041 CE and Genoa from 1339 CE.

Canon 6427 (link)

The term Doe is from Italian "doga" meaning “slat or staff".

Canon 6428 (link)

The claims that the Duke of Amalfi (957-1073) of South-Western Italy may be regarded as a Doge, is deliberately absurd and designed to confuse as neither a council of eleven existed in Amalfi at the time, nor had the concept of “doge” even been created before 1041 CE in Venice.

Canon 6429 (link)

The first Doga (Doge) in history was appointed by the noble families of Pisa in 1006 as part of Pisa declared itself a commune of cities and a “State” known as Stato de Mari or the “State of the Sea(s)”, forming for the first time a permanent government known as the Consiglio Dodici, also known as the Council of Twelve and the Gran Consiglio (“Great Council”), being the families: Caetani, Crivelli, Dori, Fieschi, Grimo, Gusmini, Morosini, Orlando, Sforza, Simonetti, Verchionesi and Visconti in response to Henry II (1002-1024) of Germany agreeing in 1004 to the recognition of Arduin as Margrave of Ivrea and the loss of key lands and trade routes.

Canon 6430 (link)

The second Doga (Doge) in history was appointed by Venice in 1041 when upon King Pietari II Orseolo (1041-1047) assuming the throne of Hungary, when the Morosini of Pisa (known as the Pisani in Venice) staged a coup d’état against the Orseolo and formed a new government of the colony through a Council of twelve (12) noble families called the Consiglio Dodici or “Council of Twelve” being the families of Barbaro, Contarini, Cornaro, Dandelo, Faliero ,Gradenigo, Micheli, Morosini (Pisani), Priuli, Tiepolo, Valiero and Ziani. The Consiglio Dodici then promptly pronounced the election of Domenico Contarini (1041 - 1084) as the second Doga (Doge) in history.

Canon 6431 (link)

While the position of Doga (Doge) carried significant power, historically the position is one heavily steeped in the custom of “service of the people of the commune”, with Doges required to swear a solemn oath. Towards the later years of Venice, the power of the Doge was reduced to the point that the position became more figurehead than the focus of executive power.

Canon 6432 (link)

In addition to the invention of the concept of the Doga (Doge), Pisa also pioneered the development of other offices of service including:

(i) The establishment of the “Baldwine” in 963 CE as comes de Flanders (Count of Flanders) of the commune (commune) of Flanders and vassal to the Pisans. The word Baldwine comes from two (2) Old German words, bald meaning “brave and good” and wine meaning “friend, lord and protector”; and

(ii) The establishment of the “Barango” in 985 CE as comes de Cataluna (Count of Catalonia) of the comuna de cataluna (Commune of Catalonia) and vassal to the Pisans. The word Barango comes from Catalian meaning “servant (of the people)”; and

(iii) The establishment of the “Judges” or “iudices” in 1020 in Corsica and then in 1022 in Sardinia as vassals to the Pisans. The word iudices is Latin and meant “in service of the law”; and

(iv) The establishment of the “High Steward” in 1066 in England as an additional title of Count Guillermo (William) of Vasconia (Gascony) (1052-1087) as vassal to the Pisans. The word steward comes from Old German stig meaning “house, hall, building” and weard meaningguardian or keeper”.

Canon 6433 (link)

In 1339, the northern Italian commercial trading city of Genoa declared itself a Republic and elected by popular suffrage Simone Boccanegra (1339-1344) for life as its first Doge. In 1528, the term of office of the Genovese Doge was reduced to two (2) years and power of voting of the people removed and restricted to the Gran Consiglio of Genoa. The office of Doge of Genoa was abolished in 1797 by Napoleon Bonaparte who transferred the lands of Genoa into the Ligurian Republic.

Canon 6434 (link)

The office of Doga (Doge) of Pisa underwent a series of historic changes from the time of its creation in 1006 CE until its final transformation in 1509:

(i) In 1119 upon the elevation of Doga (Doge) Domenico Morosini (1119-1146) Genoa rebelled. The conflict was only resolved through a peace treaty council (consilium) at Troia in southern Italy which was brokered by Roman Pontiff Callixtus I (II) (1119-1130) between Genoa, the rebel Tuscan nobles and Pisa at which Domenico Morosini agreed to the formation of the fraternity known as Ordo Praeitum or “Order of Ambassadors”, later known as the “Dominicans” and the semi-religious Ordo Pauperes Templum or “Order of the Poor of the (Money) Temple”, later known as the “Knights Templar” to handle the finances of the Pisan Empire; and

(ii) In 1146, upon the death of Doga (Doge) Domenico Morosini (1119-1146), the Tuscan nobles including Genoa and Florence succeeded in banishing the Morosini who found sanctuary in Venice. A new council known as the Consiglio Dieci (Council of Ten) of Pisa was formed for the election of Doga (Doge), excluding the Morosini; and

(iii) In 1175, upon the death of Doga (Doge) Villano Caetani (1146-1175) of Pisa the Pisan empire dissolved into civil war. While the government of the empire continued through the Ordo Praeitum or “Order of Ambassadors” and Ordo Pauperes Templum or “Order of the Poor of the (Money) Temple”, both the Consiglio Dieci (Council of Ten) of Pisa and the office of Doga (Doge) functioned properly, with the Doge effectively becoming an unelected dictator until the office was dissolved in 1405 and again for the final time in 1509.

Canon 6435 (link)

Similar to Pisa, the office of Doge (Doga) of Venice underwent a series of historic changes from the time of its creation in 1041 CE until its final transformation in 1797:

(i) Following massive social upheaval in 1172, the way in which the Venetian Doge (Doga) was elected changed whereby a Maggior Consiglio or (Great Council of Venice) was first formed from all families that had name and property prior in Venice to 1000 CE, known as the longhi. The Maggior Consiglio was then granted the power to elect the Doge from a candidate of the families of the Consiglio Dieci (Council of Ten); and

(ii) In 1223 the election method for choosing the Doge (Doga) by the Maggior Consiglio or (Great Council of Venice) was changed upon the conversion of the Minori Consiglio (Minor Council) to a semi-religious fraternity (brotherhood) known as Ordo Fraternum Minori or “Fraternal Order of Frugality” later known by the late 13th Century as the “Franciscans”; and

(iii) From 1229 onwards, the members of the Maggior Consiglio or (Great Council of Venice) elected a temporary “Council of Forty-One” electors, who then had the power to elect the Doxi (Doge) from one of the candidates of the Consiglio Dieci (Council of Ten); and

(iv) In 1797, Doge Ludovico Manin abdicated under force from Napoleon Bonaparte under the secret Treaty of Leoben and confirmed at the Treaty of Campo Formio.