APPENDIX III

VENETIAN CONSTITUTION IN THE FIFTEENTH
AND SIXTEENTH CENTURIES
Authorities.—
Daru, Histoire de la République de Venise, B. xxxix.
 
Brown, Venice, pp. 163, 177, 398; Venetian Studies, p. 178.
I. The Great Council (Maggior Consiglio).

Confined by law of 1296 to the families of those who were then members (Serrata del Maggior Consiglio). The eligible had to be elected, but were, as a matter of fact, always elected. No one could take his seat until the age of twenty-five, with the exception of thirty who were elected every December, and a few specially allowed to do so, in return for loans lent to the State.

Its functions were chiefly Elective. All officials, and magistrates elected by it, except a few of the highest officers, e.g. the Savii Grandi, the Savii di Terra Firma, and the Admiral.

System of Election.—Nominators, chosen by lot in the Council, elected candidates—sometimes two, sometimes four—for the vacant office. The names of these candidates were then submitted to the Council, and the one who received most votes was declared elected.

The Great Council also originally enjoyed (a) some legislative powers, but these were gradually absorbed by the Senate; (b) judicial powers. On presentation by the College they tried commanders accused of negligence or incompetency.87

II. The Senate (Pregadi, i.e. the Invited), 246 in number:—
(a) Sixty elected in the Great Council for one year.
(b) Sixty (the Zonta, i.e. addition) elected by the outgoing Senate and confirmed by the Great Council.
(c) Ex officio.—The Doge, his six Councillors, members of Supreme Court of Criminal Appeal, and members of financial and judicial departments.
(d) Fifty minor officials, who had a right to debate, but not to vote.
Its Functions.
(a) Chiefly Legislative.—It passed laws on the proposal of the College.
(b) Elected a few of the higher officials.

The Savii Grandi.
Savii di Terra Firma.
Admiral.

(c) Sometimes tried commanders accused of negligence or incompetence.
III. The Council of Ten (Consiglio de’ Dieci).—After 1310 this Council absorbed some of the functions of the Senate. Brown, Venice, p. 177.
How elected.
For one year, by the Maggior Consiglio, out of a list of twenty, of which ten were elected by the Consiglio, ten by the Doge, his Councillors, and the Chiefs of the Supreme Court of Justice. No member to be re-eligible for a year after holding office. The Doge and his six Councillors were ex-officio members. Subsequently, twenty additional members were elected in the Maggior Consiglio for each important case.
Functions.—(a) It looked after urgent questions of finance, public policy, and military organisation.
(b) Tried cases of treason, and other cases removed from the ordinary courts by the College.

IV. The Collegio proposed measures to the Senate, and was the Supreme Executive Authority.
Members.—(a) The Doge, six Councillors, three Presidents of the Criminal Court of Appeal.
(b) Six Savii Grandi, elected by the Senate for a period of six months. Must be 38 years old.

These superintended the action of the boards below them, and fulfilled the work of the responsible ministers of State.

(c) Five Savii di Terra Firma, elected for six months. Must be 30 years old.
1. Savio alla Scrittura. Minister of War.
2. Savio Cassier. Chancellor of Exchequer.
3. Savio alle Ordinanze. Minister for Native Militia.
4. Savio ai da mo. Minister for execution of urgent matters.
5. Savio ai ceremoniali. Minister for ceremonies of State.
(d) Five Savii da Mar, or agli ordini.

The Board of Admiralty, elected for six months, worked under direct superintendence of the Savii Grandi. Had a vote, but no voice in the College. Filled for most part with young men, who here received their political education.

V. The Doge.—Elected for life, by forty-one electors, themselves chosen by ballot, and vote in the Great Council (cf. Brown, Venice, p. 150). His position ornamental. He, with his six Councillors, who were elected for eight months in the Great Council, presided over the Council, the Senate, the College, and all State affairs were conducted in his name. But he had no power without his six Councillors, and little even with them.
VI. Justice.—This was administered by four Supreme Courts formed of judges elected out of its own members by the Great Council, who held office nominally for one year, but were usually re-elected.

(a) Criminal.—The members of this Court sat in the Senate, and its three presidents in the College.
(b) Three Courts of Civil Jurisdiction: of which one heard appeals from the inferior Courts in Venice, the other two from the Courts in the dependencies.
No decision of the appellant Court was valid unless it confirmed the decision of the inferior Court; and in the event of their decisions differing, the matter was constantly referred backward and forward until the Court of first instance and the Supreme Court could agree.
VII. Taxation.—Venice always objected to permanent direct taxation, and it was not till 1530 that she resorted to an income tax.
The chief taxes were:
1. Forced loans, redeemable or not, on which the State paid regular interest. This system, adopted in 1171, is perhaps the earliest instance of a national debt.
2. Each member of a guild paid—
(a) The Taglione = capitation fee for belonging to a guild.
(b) The Tansa insensibile = tax on profits of his work.
3. Duties on imports and exports.
4. Trade in salt, which was a State monopoly. The profits of this trade at home and abroad amounted at times to one-tenth of the gross revenue.
5. Profits of the State Bank, which did business often with foreign princes.
6. In days of her decline Venice also resorted to the system of selling public offices.
VIII. Government of Dependencies.—Aim to leave as much independence as was compatible with maintenance of Venetian supremacy, and to assimilate the government of the dependent town as closely as was possible with that of Venice.
The representatives of the Venetian Supremacy were the Rettori.

That is—
1. The Podestà—the supreme civil officer, with control over the police, the fiscal, and other administrative work.
2. The Capitano—who looked after the local levies and other forces.
Both these officials were in immediate communication with the Venetian Senate and the Ten, but were bound by oath to respect the local privileges.
Under the Rector stood the Free Municipal Government, which varied in every town, but was always presided over by a Podestà—an elected officer, who was sometimes a native, sometimes a Venetian, sometimes the Rector himself.
Reasons for stability of Venetian Government—
1. Coincidence of theoretical and practical Sovereignty in the same hands.
2. Adaptability of the Constitution, e.g. gradual assumption of power by Senate, and then by the Ten.
3. Strength of the Executive which excited no jealousy.
4. Impartiality of Justice.
5. Provision made for nobles in Government of Dependencies, for the middle class in civil service and commerce, for the lower classes in the fleet.
6. Large alien Population who did not want political power, but to be judged fairly, taxed lightly, and find employment.
For the imperial Institution, see pp. 106, 145.
For the Spanish Constitution, see pp. 92, 299.
87 The College decided whether the offender should be tried by the Council or the Senate. If he was accused of treason, the case went to the Council of Ten.