Mercantile republics Republic

giovanni battista tiepolo, neptune offers wealth of sea venice, 1748–1750. painting allegory of power of republic of venice.

in europe new republics appeared in late middle ages when number of small states embraced republican systems of government. these small, wealthy, trading states, italian city-states , hanseatic league, in merchant class had risen prominence. knud haakonssen has noted that, renaissance, europe divided states controlled landed elite being monarchies , controlled commercial elite being republics.

across europe wealthy merchant class developed in important trading cities. despite wealth had little power in feudal system dominated rural land owners, , across europe began advocate own privileges , powers. more centralized states, such france , england, granted limited city charters.

beginning of republic of metz. election of first head-alderman in 1289, auguste migette. metz free imperial city of holy roman emperor.

in more loosely governed holy roman empire, 51 of largest towns became free imperial cities. while still under dominion of holy roman emperor power held locally , many adopted republican forms of government. same rights imperial immediacy secured major trading cities of switzerland. towns , villages of alpine switzerland had, courtesy of geography, been largely excluded central control. unlike italy , germany, of rural area not controlled feudal barons, independent farmers used communal forms of government. when habsburgs tried reassert control on region both rural farmers , town merchants joined rebellion. swiss victorious, , swiss confederacy proclaimed, , switzerland has retained republican form of government present.

italy densely populated area of europe, , 1 weakest central government. many of towns gained considerable independence , adopted commune forms of government. free of feudal control, italian city-states expanded, gaining control of rural hinterland. 2 powerful republic of venice , rival republic of genoa. each large trading ports, , further expanded using naval power control large parts of mediterranean. in italy ideology advocating republics first developed. writers such bartholomew of lucca, brunetto latini, marsilius of padua, , leonardo bruni saw medieval city-states heirs legacy of greece , rome.

two russian cities powerful merchant class—novgorod , pskov—also adopted republican forms of government in 12th , 13th centuries, respectively, ended when republics conquered muscovy/russia @ end 15th – beginning of 16th century.

the dominant form of government these republics control limited council of elite patricians. in areas held elections, property qualifications or guild membership limited both vote , run. in many states no direct elections held , council members hereditary or appointed existing council. left great majority of population without political power, , riots , revolts lower classes common. late middle ages saw more 200 such risings in towns of holy roman empire. similar revolts occurred in italy, notably ciompi revolt in florence.

mercantile republics outside europe

following collapse of seljuk sultanate of rum , establishment of turkish anatolian beyliks, ahiler merchant fraternities established state centered on ankara compared italian mercantile republics.