Atti, Vol. LV No. 1, 2026.
Original scientific paper
PODESTÀ AND VICARS ON “THE EASTERN BORDER OF ITALY”. THE EXAMPLE OF THE COMMUNE OF TRIESTE (1280-1370)
Filippo Vigini
; Ricercatore indipendente Trieste – Italia
Abstract
From 1280 to 1370, Trieste was a completely autonomous commune. Foreign podestà
was a central institutional function: an executive official elected by the Great
City Council for a period of six months and tasked with impartial government of
the commune. To perform this role, he was assisted by his retinue, known as the
familia, selected by the podestà himself, also composed of foreigners. Some of
its most prominent members were vicars, legal experts who administered justice.
The lists of the podestà suggest that the commune relied on a regular alternation
between the Counts of Gorizia and the members of the Venetian and Friulan nobility,
in order to maintain an equidistant political line between the main powers
of the Upper Adriatic. The vicars came from various cities of Veneto, Lombardy,
Emilia-Romagna and brought with them a wealth of experience as well as legal and
political culture that animated the urban society. They often served under different
podestà, which shows that the rectors’ choices also took into consideration the
local opinion. In fact, the civitas exercised strong control over the work of foreign
officials. At times, the citizenry strongly criticized and even fiercely opposed them.
Keywords
Trieste, Middle Ages, commune, podestà, podestarial vicars, politics
Hrčak ID:
348672
URI
Publication date:
1.7.2026.
Visits: 0 *