Martin Antonenko
A Fixture
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2008
- Messages
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The "Golden Book" Is Burned...
On June 4, 1797, victorious troops of the French Revolution under Géneral de Division Andoche Junot...
...into Venice and end the centuries-old aristocratic oligarchy of this republic...:
And in order to show the previous upper class what he thinks of them, Junot confiscates the Doge's Palace as quarters for his soldiers...:
Because Venice called itself a "republic" because it had no king but was ruled by a "Great Council" that appointed a senate as a government, from whose ranks the Doge, the head of state and holder of executive power was elected - but full Political rights to participate in the design of Venice enjoyed only very few - the so-called "Nobili".
One was only "Nobili" (noble) if the name was in the famous "Libro d'Oro", the so-called "Golden Book" of Venice, a register that had been kept since 1297.
The laws governing inclusion in this "Golden Book" were strict!
Cases have been handed down in which Nobili failed to have their children entered in it after birth - which was theoretically possible at a later point in time (up to their 20th year at the latest), but was very difficult in practice.
On the other hand, men who were promoted to the rank of nobili through marriage were automatically entered.
They then numbered among the "Nobilhomini" (noble men), each of whom automatically became a member of the "Great Council" upon reaching the age of 21.
The first thing the French do when they occupy Venice is burn this "Libro d'Oro"!
Before that, the Venetians had hastily sent a delegation of petitions to General Junot's superior, Géneral en chef d'armee d'italie, Napoleon Bonaparte, but he had thrown out the petitioners!
On July 4, 1797, the names of 111 noble families with around 1000 men were still in the golden book.
Here is the "Libro d'Oro" of the city of Florence, which was created in the Middle Ages based on the example of Venice and has been preserved...:
With the golden book, the nobility in Venice is extinguished...
On June 4, 1797, victorious troops of the French Revolution under Géneral de Division Andoche Junot...
...into Venice and end the centuries-old aristocratic oligarchy of this republic...:
And in order to show the previous upper class what he thinks of them, Junot confiscates the Doge's Palace as quarters for his soldiers...:
Because Venice called itself a "republic" because it had no king but was ruled by a "Great Council" that appointed a senate as a government, from whose ranks the Doge, the head of state and holder of executive power was elected - but full Political rights to participate in the design of Venice enjoyed only very few - the so-called "Nobili".
One was only "Nobili" (noble) if the name was in the famous "Libro d'Oro", the so-called "Golden Book" of Venice, a register that had been kept since 1297.
The laws governing inclusion in this "Golden Book" were strict!
Cases have been handed down in which Nobili failed to have their children entered in it after birth - which was theoretically possible at a later point in time (up to their 20th year at the latest), but was very difficult in practice.
On the other hand, men who were promoted to the rank of nobili through marriage were automatically entered.
They then numbered among the "Nobilhomini" (noble men), each of whom automatically became a member of the "Great Council" upon reaching the age of 21.
The first thing the French do when they occupy Venice is burn this "Libro d'Oro"!
Before that, the Venetians had hastily sent a delegation of petitions to General Junot's superior, Géneral en chef d'armee d'italie, Napoleon Bonaparte, but he had thrown out the petitioners!
On July 4, 1797, the names of 111 noble families with around 1000 men were still in the golden book.
Here is the "Libro d'Oro" of the city of Florence, which was created in the Middle Ages based on the example of Venice and has been preserved...:
With the golden book, the nobility in Venice is extinguished...
