Balia
Balìa or Baylia is a term of ancient French origin used in the republics of Florence, Siena and Perugia to mean administrative territory, rule, power, authority. In the broader sense it was meant: district, part of the county.
In 1232 the municipality of Assisi was divided into 51 bailies and that of Trevi into four (1213). Baiuli or Baioli were the community administrators who, among other things, were responsible for publicizing orders in the country.
Siena
The Balìa di Siena was initially the most important independent governing body of the Republic of Siena and after the establishment of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and the reform carried out by Cosimo I. de'Medici on February 1, 1561, part of the autonomous government of the Duchy of Siena . In the latter version, the balia consisted of twenty resident citizens (i.e. those who had previously worked in the judiciary) and remained in office for a year. The twenty were chosen directly by the Grand Duke of Tuscany from a wider list of names, that of the "segretario delle leggi". was suggested.
The tasks of the Balìa were:
- To elect ambassadors to be sent to the prince;
- determine the cost;
- all matters relating to the Banca Monte dei Paschi ;
- Review of monasteries, brotherhoods, hospitals, charities;
- Organization of city festivals (e.g. the Palio );
and, more generally, to decide anything that might be considered useful to Siena.
Web links
- Balìa . Comune di Siena.