The ''promissione ducale'' ( la, promissio domini ducis) was an

oath of office An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before assuming the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations. Such ...

sworn by the incoming

Doge of Venice The Doge of Venice ( ; vec, Doxe de Venexia ; it, Doge di Venezia ; all derived from Latin ', "military leader"), sometimes translated as Duke (compare the Italian '), was the chief magistrate and leader of the Republic of Venice between 726 a ...

. It contained not only an oath of allegiance to the

Republic of Venice The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia, ...

, but also spelled out the constitutional limitations to the Doge's power, which he swore to abide by.

History

The ''promissione'' had its origins in the oaths of office sworn by civil magistrates in the Italian city-states (

communes An intentional community is a voluntary residential community which is designed to have a high degree of social cohesion and teamwork from the start. The members of an intentional community typically hold a common social, political, relig ...

), covering both the established legal order, and the exercise of jurisdiction by the magistrates. Thus in Venice too, the

Doges of Venice The Doge of Venice ( ; vec, Doxe de Venexia ; it, Doge di Venezia ; all derived from Latin ', "military leader"), sometimes translated as Duke (compare the Italian '), was the chief magistrate and leader of the Republic of Venice between 726 a ...

were accustomed to take such oaths, or ''promissioni'', which covered both matters political as well as matters of

criminal law Criminal law is the body of law that relates to crime. It prescribes conduct perceived as threatening, harmful, or otherwise endangering to the property, health, safety, and moral welfare of people inclusive of one's self. Most criminal law i ...

; the earliest of which is the collection of penal guidelines known as the ''promissione del maleficio'' of

Orio Mastropiero Orio Mastropiero (died 13 June 1192), forename sometimes rendered as Aurio and surname as Malipiero, was a Venetian statesman who served as the doge of Venice from 1178 to 1192. He was elected by the Council of Forty in 1178 following the retireme ...

() in 1181, which was reformed in 1195 under

Enrico Dandolo Enrico Dandolo (anglicised as Henry Dandolo and Latinized as Henricus Dandulus; c. 1107 – May/June 1205) was the Doge of Venice from 1192 until his death. He is remembered for his avowed piety, longevity, and shrewdness, and is known for his r ...

(). The political oath of office on the other hand contained a series of promises to govern and adjudicate fairly and impartially, maintain the secrets of the state, execute the deliberations of the

Great Council of Venice The Great Council or Major Council ( it, Maggior Consiglio; vec, Mazor Consegio) was a political organ of the Republic of Venice between 1172 and 1797. It was the chief political assembly, responsible for electing many of the other political off ...

, etc. At the same time, already in the very first surviving example, that of Doge Dandolo in 1193, it contained a set of restrictions on the Doge's power, such as a prohibition on conducting direct correspondence with foreign princes, or of meddling in the election of the

Patriarch of Venice The Patriarch of Venice ( la, Patriarcha Venetiarum; it, Patriarca di Venezia) is the ordinary bishop of the Archdiocese of Venice. The bishop is one of the few patriarchs in the Latin Church of the Catholic Church (currently three other Latin ...

. These restrictions were increased over time, so that in 1229, after the death of Doge Pietro Ziani, a commission of five '

corrector A corrector (English plural ''correctors'', Latin plural ''correctores'') is a person or object practicing correction, usually by removing or rectifying errors. The word is originally a Roman title, ''corrector'', derived from the Latin verb '' ...

s of the ducal ''promissione (''Correttori alle promissione ducale'') was established to revise them. In the course of the centuries the ''promissione'' became more and more extensive, and from 1595 on it was printed. The ''promissione ducale'' of Doge Marino Grimani () contained 108 pages, that of Doge Giovanni II Cornaro () had 165 pages, and the one for the last Doge,

Ludovico Manin Ludovico Giovanni Manin (; ; 14 May 1725 – 24 October 1802) was a Venetian politician, Venetian nobility, patrician, and the List of Doges of Venice, 120th and last Doge of Venice. He governed the Venetian Republic from 9 March 1789 until its ...

(), had 301 pages. Not only were the powers of the Doge circumscribed, but eventually restrictions were also extended to his relatives, primarily to avoid any danger of the office becoming

hereditary Heredity, also called inheritance or biological inheritance, is the passing on of traits from parents to their offspring; either through asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction, the offspring cells or organisms acquire the genetic inform ...

: in 1473, the Doge's sons and grandsons were prohibited from being elected to any council apart from the Great Council, and three years later they were forbidden from being elected to the boards of ''savii'' as well. These restrictions were only partially lifted a few decades before the

end End, END, Ending, or variation, may refer to: End *In mathematics: ** End (category theory) ** End (topology) **End (graph theory) ** End (group theory) (a subcase of the previous) **End (endomorphism) *In sports and games **End (gridiron footbal ...

of the Republic: in 1763, the Doge's brother and two of his sons were allowed to sit in the

Venetian Senate The Senate ( vec, Senato), formally the ''Consiglio dei Pregadi'' or ''Rogati'' (, la, Consilium Rogatorum), was the main deliberative and legislative body of the Republic of Venice. Establishment The Venetian Senate was founded in 1229, or le ...

, but without the right to vote during the Doge's lifetime. The oath equally also contained provisions regarding the Doge's spouse, the

Dogaressa Dogaressa ( , , ) was the official title of the wife of the Doge of Venice. The title was unique for Venice: while the head of the Republic of Genoa were also called Doge, the wives of the Doges of Genoa were not called ''Dogaressa'', nor did t ...

, including her clothing and ceremonial duties.

History

See also

References

Sources

Further reading