Republic of Lucca

The Republic of Lucca was a historic state of Italy, which lasted

from 1160 to 1805 on the central Italian peninsula. Most Serene Republic of
Lucca (en)
Its territory extended beyond the city of Lucca, reaching the Serenissima Repubblica
surrounding countryside in the north-western part of today's Lucense (it)
Tuscany region, to the borders with Emilia-Romagna and
Res publica Lucensis (la)
Liguria.
1160–1805
The Republic of Lucca remained independent until 1799. Later
the state continued to exist but was, de facto, dependent upon
Napoleonic France, and ceased officially its existence in 1805,
when it was transformed in the Principality of Lucca and
Piombino.

Flag
Coat of arms
Contents Motto: Luca potens sternit sibi quae
contraria cernit
Background
Rise of the Republic
Renaissance and onwards
End
Early 19th century
French democracy
Habsburg regency
French oligarchic republic Detail of a French map of Italy from c.
1700–1750 showing the territory of the
Napoleonic principality Republic of Lucca. The map was
designed by Nicolas Sanson (1600-
See also
1667) and published after his death by
References Covens & Mortier.
Capital Lucca
Common languages Italian
Background Latin
Religion Roman
Within the Imperial Kingdom of Italy, the city of Lucca had been Catholicism
the residence of the Margraves of Tuscany until the time of
Margrave Hugh. A certain autonomy was granted by a 1084 Government Oligarchic
republic
diploma issued by Emperor Henry IV, while on his Italian
campaign during the Investiture Controversy with Pope Gregory Governanti di
Lucca
VII. No feudal castle could be built in the range of 6 miles from
the city wall. More privileges were granted by the following • 1251–1252 Bonifazio
Giudice di
emperors. Vallecchia
• 1316–1328 Castruccio
Rise of the Republic • 1400–1430
Castracani
Paolo Guinigi
Historical era Middle Ages
After the death of Margravine Matilda of Tuscany in 1115, the Early modern
city began to constitute itself an independent commune, with an period
administration officially acknowledged by Margrave Conrad in • Established 1160
1120 and by Emperor Frederick in 1162. The city bought the • Disestablished 23 June 1805
feudal rights from Margrave Welf VI in 1160, hence became
Population
subject only to the emperors. For more than 500 years, Lucca
• Estimate 100,000 in the
remained as an independent republic. 18th century

At the end of the 12th century Lucca and other cities of Tuscany Currency Autonomous
mint (known as
created an alliance to fight the neighbor feudal lords and ducato)
subjugate their lands. This allowed Lucca and Florence in
particular to control large territories and to compete for the Preceded Succeeded by
military supremacy in the region. The 13th century was by
characterised by political fights inside many communes, March Principality
including Lucca. As a consequence the republic witnessed the of of Lucca
rise of the people faction and change in government structure, as Tuscany and
well as participating in a long series of wars between Guelphs Piombino
and Ghibellines. In 1273 and again in 1277 Lucca was ruled by a
guelph capitano del popolo (captain of the people) named Today part of Italy
Luchetto Gattilusio.

Lucca in the 14th century became one of the most important cities of the
Italian Middle Ages. There were many noble families in power, such as
the Nuccorini, that from 1300 to 1371 were enrolled in the Supreme
Magistrate of the Elderly.[1] Dante Alighieri included many references to
the great feudal families that had jurisdiction there, with administrative
and judicial powers. Dante himself spent many of his years in exile in
Lucca.[2]

In 1314, internal discord allowed Uguccione della Faggiuola to make

himself lord of Pisa and then to conquer Lucca. Revolts in the two cities
quickly ended Uguccione's regime. In Lucca, the citizens gave the Gold coin of the Republic (1475)
lordship over their Republic to the ghibelline Castruccio Castracani,
member of the House of Antelminelli and leader of great political and
military capacity. His reign represented the highest peak of the Republic's power, whose territories included the
Garfagnana to the north, the coast from the city of Carrara to Pisa to the west, the city of Pistoia to the east
(under the codomain of Lucca and Florence), and south the Valdarno constantly disputed with the Republic of
Florence. Castracani also succeeded in making Lucca the only antagonist to the expansion of Republic of
Florence leading to the victory in the Battle of Altopascio, in 1325, where he defeated the powerful Florentine
army chasing them up to the walls of Florence.[3]

When Castruccio died, the city fell into a period of anarchy which saw it subject at first to the dominion of a
military company, which had Marco from the House of Visconti as its leader and hostage at the same time.
Later the republic was repeatedly sold to different lords who were unable to exploit it due to the hostility of the
Republic of Florence. Subsequently, it was acquired by the Republic of Pisa and administered by its Lord,
Giovanni Dell'Agnello.[4]

Having regained its freedom in 1370, Lucca gave himself a republican government and with a shrewd foreign
policy returned to having a remarkable fame in Europe thanks to its bankers and the silk trade.

Renaissance and onwards

 During the 15th century the republic was of less importance than the two great
republics of Florence and Siena. In the first decades of the century, Lucca falls under
the pseudo-tyranny of the Guinigi family.[5][6]

A judgment of the important historian Giovanni Sercambi from Lucca has been
Merchant flag of the preserved on this period, he especially highlights the conferment of all offices to
Republic of Lucca, supporters of the dominant family and also mentions the provisions to prevent the
including the word largest assembly of citizens (the General Council) from meeting. The role of this was
Libertas (13th taken by a Commission made up of twelve or eighteen partisans of the ruling house.
century-1799) Sercambi remembers more generally the restriction of all expenses, except those in
favor of the mercenaries, considered indispensable to not live in continuous fears and
dangers, and which had to be kept happy, as well as the secret acts of violence
committed to get rid of the most rebels dangerous.[7]

The alliance between the Republic that at the time was controlled by the Guinigi family and the Duchy of
Milan led Lucca into the ruinous war against the Republic of Venice and Republic of Florence; towards the
end of this war, an insurrection finally ended the dominion of the Guinigi family and the republic had to
negotiated in order not to lose its independence, which led it to lose parts of its former territories.[8]

In 1429 Florence besieged Lucca to take revenge on the republic. After several days of siege, the republic of
Lucca asked the Duchy of Milan for help. The Duchy sent Francesco I Sforza, who overwhelmed the
Florentines with his army and forced them to retreat. A few days after the retreat of the Florentines, the
inhabitants of Lucca arrested Paolo Guinigi, the leader of the republic, because he was said to have dealt with
the Florentines. Florence later paid Sforza to abandon Lucca and, in 1430, Lucca was besieged once again.
During the siege the Florentines tried to stem the Serchio to flood Lucca, but due to some errors the Florentine
camp flooded. Meanwhile, the Lucchesi asked again for help from Filippo Maria Visconti, duke of Milan,
who, once again, acted indirectly (according to a previous treaty Milan could not interfere in the affairs of
Florence) asking the Republic of Genoa to help Lucca. Genoa, relying on an ancient alliance with Lucca,
asked Florence not to disturb Lucca. When Florence refused, Genoa sent an army of 6,000 men led by
Niccolò Piccinino who attacked the Florentines on the Serchio and, after a bloody battle, they were forced to
withdraw because the Lucchesi had taken them behind leaving the city.[9]

Lucca managed, at first as a democracy, and after 1628 as an oligarchy, to maintain its independence —
alongside Venice and Genoa. It painted the word Libertas on its banners, until the French Revolution in
1789.[10] Lucca was the third largest Italian city-state with a republican constitution ("comune") to remain
independent over the centuries, as larger Venice and Genoa also did.

End

Early 19th century

French democracy

The independent course of the Republic changed in February 1799, before the
Second Coalition invasion (1799–1800), one of the Italian campaigns of the French
Flag of the Jacobin
Revolutionary Wars.
State of Lucca (early
1799 and 1800–01)
French Jacobins created a centralized republic, the State of Lucca, with a democratic
constitution. The constitution granted the government to an Executive Directory,
with a bicameral legislature composed of the Council of Juniors and the Council of
Seniors. The democracy did not last long.

Habsburg regency

Five months later in July 1799, after the French army retreated, forces of the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy
conquered the city and established a Provisional government

French oligarchic republic

In middle 1800 the French army returned, reconquering Lucca. A new constitution
for the State of Lucca was published in 1801, restoring the office of Consul of Justice
as the president of the Executive branch, with a parliament called the Great Council.
The oligarchy was restored.
Republic of Lucca
(1801-1805)
Napoleonic principality

In 1805, the governance of Lucca was taken over by Napoleon, who merged the State of Lucca with the
Principality of Piombino to become the Principality of Lucca and Piombino (1805–1809). He put his favored
sister Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi in place to rule, his only female sibling to gain political power. Elisa began
rule as the Duchess of Lucca and Princess of Piombino, based at Villa Reale di Marlia.

See also
Duchy of Lucca — post-Napoleon (1815–1847)
Grand Duchy of Tuscany — (1569-1801) and (1815–1859)

References
1. Giovannini, Francesco. Storia dello Stato di Lucca (in Italian). Pacini Fazzi. p. 41.
2. Balbo, Cesare. The Life and Times of Dante Alighieri. General Books LLC. pp. 176–177.
3. Berti, Roberto. La battaglia di Altopascio (in Italian). Tipografia Francesconi.
4. Battista Morganti, Giovanni. Cronologia universale. La storia, i fatti e i personaggi dalle origini a
oggi (in Italian). UTET Università. p. 186.
5. "main" (http://luccaworld.com/eng-site/main-lucca-guinigi.html). luccaworld.com. Retrieved
3 July 2020.
6. "Guinigità | Turismo.Lucca.it" (http://www.turismo.lucca.it/it/guinigit%C3%A0).
www.turismo.lucca.it. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
7. Sercambi, Giovanni. Le croniche di Giovanni Sercambi lucchese (in Italian). Pacini Fazzi.
8. Manselli, Raoul. La repubblica di Lucca (in Italian). pp. 91–101.
9. Altavista, Clara. Lucca e Paolo Guinigi (1400-1430): la costruzione di una corte rinascimentale:
città, architettura, arte (in Italian). ETS.
10. Encyclopædia Britannica 1911.

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