Arengo
Encyclopedia
The Arengo was the name of the assembly that ruled San Marino
from the fifth century C.E. to 1243. It was made up of the heads of San Marino
's Great families and had no leader or fixed meeting place. This made San Marino almost unique in the period as a state that had no Head of State
. However this form of rule was cumbersome and the Arengo was crippled by feuds between the Great Families. By the early 13th century the Arengo had become so dysfunctional that the citizens of San Marino decided to elect their own assembly, which they called the Grand and General Council
. This assembly became very powerful, and by 1243 the Pope
, who was the nominal ruler of San Marino, made the Grand and General Council
the supreme body of San Marino
.
Many wealthy landowners opposed the changes and formed the Sammarinese Fascist Party
in 1922. They would go on to rule the country until the end of World War II
, when a Socialist-Communist coalition government was elected.
San Marino
San Marino, officially the Republic of San Marino , is a state situated on the Italian Peninsula on the eastern side of the Apennine Mountains. It is an enclave surrounded by Italy. Its size is just over with an estimated population of over 30,000. Its capital is the City of San Marino...
from the fifth century C.E. to 1243. It was made up of the heads of San Marino
San Marino
San Marino, officially the Republic of San Marino , is a state situated on the Italian Peninsula on the eastern side of the Apennine Mountains. It is an enclave surrounded by Italy. Its size is just over with an estimated population of over 30,000. Its capital is the City of San Marino...
's Great families and had no leader or fixed meeting place. This made San Marino almost unique in the period as a state that had no Head of State
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
. However this form of rule was cumbersome and the Arengo was crippled by feuds between the Great Families. By the early 13th century the Arengo had become so dysfunctional that the citizens of San Marino decided to elect their own assembly, which they called the Grand and General Council
Grand and General Council
The Grand and General Council is the parliament of San Marino. The council has 60 members elected for a five-year term.The electoral law was based on proportional representation from 1945 to 2007. Since then, it is based on the electoral system of Italian municipalities...
. This assembly became very powerful, and by 1243 the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
, who was the nominal ruler of San Marino, made the Grand and General Council
Grand and General Council
The Grand and General Council is the parliament of San Marino. The council has 60 members elected for a five-year term.The electoral law was based on proportional representation from 1945 to 2007. Since then, it is based on the electoral system of Italian municipalities...
the supreme body of San Marino
San Marino
San Marino, officially the Republic of San Marino , is a state situated on the Italian Peninsula on the eastern side of the Apennine Mountains. It is an enclave surrounded by Italy. Its size is just over with an estimated population of over 30,000. Its capital is the City of San Marino...
.
Founding
After the death of the founders, the community was governed by a small leaderless collection of monks based around the church of St. Agatha on the top of Monte Titano. However, around a hundred years later when Rome looked close to collapse and the Goths were threatening Italy, eight neighbouring towns joined the 'land of San (saint) Marino (the founder)' seeking the saint's protection and blessing against the Goths. This laid the foundation for modern San Marino with its nine municipalities. With such a large expansion of population it became clear that San Marino could not remain without a central structure so the Arengo was formed; based on the original Roman Senate, it was made of the head of each of the Great Families.1906 Arengo
Since the 17th century, the Grand and General Council became more oligarchic, with political power resting in the hands of powerful landowners. The Sammarinese Socialist Party agitated for universal male suffrage by convening an arengo in 1906. The heads of the households agreed to let all adult male citizens vote.Many wealthy landowners opposed the changes and formed the Sammarinese Fascist Party
Sammarinese Fascist Party
The Sammarinese Fascist Party or Partito Fascista Sammarinese was a fascist political party that ruled San Marino from 1923 to 1943....
in 1922. They would go on to rule the country until the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, when a Socialist-Communist coalition government was elected.
Sources
- Oxford Great Lives, various, 2003, Oxford University Press
- Encyclopedia Britannica online edition, various,2008
- Oxford History of Italy, John Briscome, 1998, Oxford University Press
- The Catholic Encyclopedia, 2007, various, Jesuit Publishing
- The Oxford book of the Christian Church, Michael Thirstone, 1996, Oxford University Press