Republic of Lucca
Encyclopedia
The Republic of Lucca was an ancient State of Tuscany
which lasted from 1160 to 1805.
After the death of Matilda of Tuscany
, the city of Lucca
began to constitute itself an independent commune
, with a charter in 1160. For almost 500 years, Lucca remained an independent republic. There were many minor provinces in the region between southern Liguria
and northern Tuscany dominated by the Malaspina; Tuscany in this time was a part of feudal Europe. Dante
’s Divine Comedy includes many references to the great feudal families who had huge jurisdictions with administrative and judicial rights. Dante
spent some of his exile in Lucca.
In 1273 and again in 1277 Lucca was ruled by a Guelph
capitano del popolo
(captain of the people) named Luchetto Gattilusio
. In 1314, internal discord allowed Uguccione della Faggiuola
of Pisa to make himself lord of Lucca. The Lucchesi expelled him two years later, and handed over the city to another condottiere Castruccio Castracani
, under whose rule it became a leading state in central Italy. Lucca rivalled Florence
until Castracani's death in 1328. On 22 and 23 September 1325, in the battle of Altopascio
, Castracani defeated Florence
's Guelphs. For this he was nominated by Louis IV the Bavarian to become duke of Lucca. Castracani's tomb is in the church of San Francesco. His biography is Machiavelli
's third famous book on political rule.
In 1408, Lucca hosted the convocation
intended to end the schism in the papacy. Occupied by the troops of Louis of Bavaria, the city was sold to a rich Genoese, Gherardino Spinola, then seized by John, king of Bohemia. Pawned to the Rossi of Parma, by them it was ceded to Martino della Scala of Verona
, sold to the Florentines, surrendered to the Pisans, and then nominally liberated by the emperor Charles IV
and governed by his vicar. Lucca managed, at first as a democracy
, and after 1628 as an oligarchy
, to maintain its independence alongside of Venice
and Genoa
, and painted the word Libertas on its banner until the French Revolution in 1789. Lucca was the third largest Italian city state (after Venice
and Genoa
) with a republican constitution ("comune") to remain independent over the centuries.
The history of the Republic had a big change after the French
invasion in 1799. Jacobins
imposed a democratic constitution which gave the government to an Executive Directory, with a bicameral legislature composed of the Council of Juniors and the Council of Seniors. This situation did not last long: five months later, Austria
n forces conquered the city and established a Provisional Regency. A French army finally returned in late 1800, and a new constitution was published in 1801, restoring the office of Consul of Justice as president of the Executive, with a parliament called the Great Council.
In 1805, Lucca was taken over by Napoleon
, who put his sister Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi
in charge as Princess, merging the State with the Principality of Piombino
.
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
which lasted from 1160 to 1805.
After the death of Matilda of Tuscany
Matilda of Tuscany
Matilda of Tuscany was an Italian noblewoman, the principal Italian supporter of Pope Gregory VII during the Investiture Controversy. She is one of the few medieval women to be remembered for her military accomplishments...
, the city of Lucca
Lucca
Lucca is a city and comune in Tuscany, central Italy, situated on the river Serchio in a fertile plainnear the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Lucca...
began to constitute itself an independent commune
Medieval commune
Medieval communes in the European Middle Ages had sworn allegiances of mutual defense among the citizens of a town or city. They took many forms, and varied widely in organization and makeup. Communes are first recorded in the late 11th and early 12th centuries, thereafter becoming a widespread...
, with a charter in 1160. For almost 500 years, Lucca remained an independent republic. There were many minor provinces in the region between southern Liguria
Liguria
Liguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions. Its capital is Genoa. It is a popular region with tourists for its beautiful beaches, picturesque little towns, and good food.-Geography:...
and northern Tuscany dominated by the Malaspina; Tuscany in this time was a part of feudal Europe. Dante
Dante Alighieri
Durante degli Alighieri, mononymously referred to as Dante , was an Italian poet, prose writer, literary theorist, moral philosopher, and political thinker. He is best known for the monumental epic poem La commedia, later named La divina commedia ...
’s Divine Comedy includes many references to the great feudal families who had huge jurisdictions with administrative and judicial rights. Dante
Dante Alighieri
Durante degli Alighieri, mononymously referred to as Dante , was an Italian poet, prose writer, literary theorist, moral philosopher, and political thinker. He is best known for the monumental epic poem La commedia, later named La divina commedia ...
spent some of his exile in Lucca.
In 1273 and again in 1277 Lucca was ruled by a Guelph
Guelphs and Ghibellines
The Guelphs and Ghibellines were factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, respectively, in central and northern Italy. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the split between these two parties was a particularly important aspect of the internal policy of the Italian city-states...
capitano del popolo
Capitano del popolo
The capitano del popolo was an administrative title used in Italy during the Middle Ages.It was created in the early 13th century when the populares, the increasing wealthy classes of merchants, professionals, craftsmen and, in maritime cities, ship-owners, who were of non-noble origin, were able...
(captain of the people) named Luchetto Gattilusio
Luchetto Gattilusio
Luchetto Gattilusio was a Genoese statesman, diplomat, and man of letters. As a Guelph he played an important role in wider Lombard politics and as a troubadour in the Occitan language he composed three poems descriptive of his times.-Poetry:...
. In 1314, internal discord allowed Uguccione della Faggiuola
Uguccione della Faggiuola
Uguccione della Faggiuola was an Italian condottiero, and chief magistrate of Pisa, Lucca and Forlì .-Biography:...
of Pisa to make himself lord of Lucca. The Lucchesi expelled him two years later, and handed over the city to another condottiere Castruccio Castracani
Castruccio Castracani
Castruccio Castracani degli Antelminelli was an Italian condottiero and duke of Lucca.-Biography:Castruccio was born in Lucca, a member of the noble family of Antelminelli, of the Ghibelline party. In 1300 he was exiled with his parents and others of their faction by the Guelphs "Black" party,...
, under whose rule it became a leading state in central Italy. Lucca rivalled Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
until Castracani's death in 1328. On 22 and 23 September 1325, in the battle of Altopascio
Battle of Altopascio
The Battle of Altopascio was a battle fought in 1325 in Tuscany, between the Ghibelline forces of Castruccio Castracani and those of Guelph Florence.-Background:...
, Castracani defeated Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
's Guelphs. For this he was nominated by Louis IV the Bavarian to become duke of Lucca. Castracani's tomb is in the church of San Francesco. His biography is Machiavelli
Niccolò Machiavelli
Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli was an Italian historian, philosopher, humanist, and writer based in Florence during the Renaissance. He is one of the main founders of modern political science. He was a diplomat, political philosopher, playwright, and a civil servant of the Florentine Republic...
's third famous book on political rule.
In 1408, Lucca hosted the convocation
Convocation
A Convocation is a group of people formally assembled for a special purpose.- University use :....
intended to end the schism in the papacy. Occupied by the troops of Louis of Bavaria, the city was sold to a rich Genoese, Gherardino Spinola, then seized by John, king of Bohemia. Pawned to the Rossi of Parma, by them it was ceded to Martino della Scala of Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
, sold to the Florentines, surrendered to the Pisans, and then nominally liberated by the emperor Charles IV
Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor....
and governed by his vicar. Lucca managed, at first as a democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
, and after 1628 as an oligarchy
Oligarchy
Oligarchy is a form of power structure in which power effectively rests with an elite class distinguished by royalty, wealth, family ties, commercial, and/or military legitimacy...
, to maintain its independence alongside of Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
and Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, and painted the word Libertas on its banner until the French Revolution in 1789. Lucca was the third largest Italian city state (after Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
and Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
) with a republican constitution ("comune") to remain independent over the centuries.
The history of the Republic had a big change after the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
invasion in 1799. Jacobins
Jacobin (politics)
A Jacobin , in the context of the French Revolution, was a member of the Jacobin Club, a revolutionary far-left political movement. The Jacobin Club was the most famous political club of the French Revolution. So called from the Dominican convent where they originally met, in the Rue St. Jacques ,...
imposed a democratic constitution which gave the government to an Executive Directory, with a bicameral legislature composed of the Council of Juniors and the Council of Seniors. This situation did not last long: five months later, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n forces conquered the city and established a Provisional Regency. A French army finally returned in late 1800, and a new constitution was published in 1801, restoring the office of Consul of Justice as president of the Executive, with a parliament called the Great Council.
In 1805, Lucca was taken over by Napoleon
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
, who put his sister Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi
Elisa Bonaparte
Maria Anna Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi Levoy, Princesse Française, Duchess of Lucca and Princess of Piombino, Grand Duchess of Tuscany, Countess of Compignano was the fourth surviving child and eldest surviving daughter of Carlo Buonaparte and Letizia Ramolino, making her the younger sister of...
in charge as Princess, merging the State with the Principality of Piombino
Principality of Piombino
The Principality of Piombino was a state of Italy, which existed from 1399 to 1805, when Napoleon absorbed it into the Principality of Lucca and Piombino...
.