The Lords of the Night ( it, Signori della/di Notte) were magistrates in 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, ...

that operated in special courts.

The Criminal Lords of the Night

The criminal Lords of the Night are mentioned as early as the 12th century, first as two, and later as six

nobles Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteristi ...

, with one for each district (''

sestiere A (plural: ) is a subdivision of certain Italian towns and cities. The word is from (‘sixth’), so it is thus used only for towns divided into six districts. The best-known example is the ''sestieri'' of Venice, but Ascoli Piceno, Genoa, M ...

'') of Venice since 1260. Their name is derived from the initial responsibility of monitoring what was happening throughout the city during the night. Their areas of prosecuting included

theft Theft is the act of taking another person's property or services without that person's permission or consent with the intent to deprive the rightful owner of it. The word ''theft'' is also used as a synonym or informal shorthand term for some ...

murder Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person wit ...

bigamy In cultures where monogamy is mandated, bigamy is the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another. A legal or de facto separation of the couple does not alter their marital status as married persons. I ...

, carnal crimes of slaves,

firearms A firearm is any type of gun designed to be readily carried and used by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see Legal definitions). The first firearms originated in 10th-century China, when bamboo tubes c ...

assaults An assault is the act of committing physical harm or unwanted physical contact upon a person or, in some specific legal definitions, a threat or attempt to commit such an action. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may result in crim ...

, criminal conspiracy,

homelessness Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. People can be categorized as homeless if they are: * living on the streets, also kn ...

rape Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ag ...

desertion Desertion is the abandonment of a military duty or post without permission (a pass, liberty or leave) and is done with the intention of not returning. This contrasts with unauthorized absence (UA) or absence without leave (AWOL ), which ar ...

from galleys and non-payment of rents. They gathered in a dining room of the

Doge's Palace The Doge's Palace ( it, Palazzo Ducale; vec, Pałaso Dogal) is a palace built in Venetian Gothic style, and one of the main landmarks of the city of Venice in northern Italy. The palace was the residence of the Doge of Venice, the supreme auth ...

in the Chamber of Torment, with interrogations and trials taking place usually at night or dusk. This enabled them, among other things, to apply the rope torture, and for the judges to present themselves to the defendant turning their shoulders to a wide window that partially concealed their appearance. Defendants could appeal their ruling by the Criminal

Council of Forty The Council of Forty ( it, Consiglio dei Quaranta), also known as the ''Quarantia'', was one of the highest constitutional bodies of the Republic of Venice, with both legal and political functions as the supreme court. Origins and evolution By some ...

through the '' Avogadori de Comùn''.

Civil Lords of the Night

By the end of 1544, the Civil Lords of the Night (''Signori della Notte al Civìl'') were created with part of their duties transferred from the criminal system, including enforcement of foreign sentences, sales of pledges, exile of criminals and the unwanted. They acted as a substitute for courts that did not operate on public holidays.

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lords Of The Night Government of the Republic of Venice History of Venice 13th-century establishments in the Republic of Venice