At the end of the 12th century, the Republic of Genoa was flourishing. Trade routes the city-state built during the early crusades kept money flowing in, and an ambitious building project beautified and fortified the city. (Click here to read about the rise of the Genoese Republic.) But things were about to take a downward turn.

The Fourth Crusade, from 1202-1204, saw Genoa’s chief rival for Mediterranean trade supremacy, Venice, take a leading role. That crusade never even reached the holy land, instead sacking Constantinople and putting a new Latin Empire in place of the Genoese-partnered Byzantine Empire. With that new state blocking Genoese access to its former Black Sea trading colonies, the city’s finances took a turn for the worse.

To try to make up some of the shortfall, Genoa turned to what would become one of the chief industries for the city: naval building. Genoese vessels, both short rowed galleys and larger sail-powered galleons, would be built, outfitted, and sold to European powers vying for naval supremacy.

When France refused to make payment on ships that had been delivered in the 1250s, the economy of Genoa crashed, taking merchants, ship builders, and banks with it. It was at this time, in 1257, that Genoa was prime for new leadership. And here we meet Guglielmo Boccanegra.

His origin is one that is a bit mysterious. The family was not one of the city’s aristocracy, so his rise to wealth and power stems mainly from his personal exploits in both some of the later crusades and other European military adventures, like the 1229 Aragonese conquest of Mallorca. But how he went from soldier and merchant to champion of the people is unknown.

What we do know is this. In the face of the economic crisis and corresponding political uncertainty in the existing system of council and magistrates, a January 1257 uprising demanded that Boccanegra take power as the capitano del popolo, the People’s Captain. He would do so, establishing a new council of 32 elders to assist in governing.

Boccanegra would make some major changes in Genoa. To spur economic growth, he would institute a major building program, capped by a huge new palace, now called Palazzo San Giorgio. (Today’s name is from the building’s later use as the headquarters of the same-named bank. While I can’t find any specific name for the original construction, there are references to a “sea palace,” so we can go with that. It doesn’t really matter to the story, though.) It was the intention that this would be the new seat of rule for Guglielmo as he consolidated power.

It was also during this period that the Cathedral of San Lorenzo’s facade was completed, and numerous other churches were constructed. (None of those, however, seems to still be standing in its 13th century form beyond the cathedral. Rebuilds in later centuries would change the character of basically all of the city’s churches.) So, too, were the great gates in the city’s walls completed.

Sadly, Palazzo San Giorgio doesn’t seem to be open to the public today. But the building is stunning, half of it the original 13th century edifice and the other part in a 16th century painted Renaissance style. (And as my apartment here in Genoa is right near the palace, it is something I see daily, am partial to, and know all the best cafes and restaurants near. Again, that is not relevant to the story.)

In an attempt to rebuild trade routes, in 1261, Genoa allied itself with the emperor of Nicaea, and backed him as he reconquered Constantinople and re-established the Byzantine Empire. And so Genoa regained access to the Black Sea. But now, trade would be a bit more nefarious.

Genoa would for the next couple of centuries lead the world in the slave trade. Their colonies would take advantage of the politically unstable areas between the new Byzantines and other smaller kingdoms and principalities – and the nearly constant wars there – to transport captured slaves to markets in Europe.

All of these things – building a new civil palace and involving the city in the slave trade – might have been ok. But Boccanegra took his own power a bit far. Genoa had elected magistrates called podestas, and under his rule, their function was reduced to mere handling of minutiae; all major decisions were to be decided by the captain and his hand-picked council. And when the council extended Boccanegra’s term, as well as adding a provision that if he were to die during it that his brother would succeed him, the already skeptical aristocratic families revolted.

In 1262, those families deposed Guglielmo Boccanegra in a coup, forcing his exile to France, where he died in 1273.

But Boccanegra would have the last laugh. After only 60 more years, the people once again wished to be governed by a single executive rather than the aristocratic families. And his great-grandson, Simone Boccanegra, would be the first.

This Boccanegra was born in 1301, and unlike the elder Boccanegra, came from a family that was now rather well-known. So when the citizenry of Genoa decided it wished a single ruler, he was elected as the first doge (duke) of the city in 1339. Terms of the new ruler were for life, but it was basically never to be; only one reign was for more than seven years, that of Domenico di Campofregoso from 1370-1378. Some doges ruled multiple times (Simone Boccanegra twice, Antoniotto I Adorno five times). Some changed frequently, with the city going through eleven between 1390 and 1394. And some were barely doge at all, like Battista Fregoso who served for less than a day in 1437.

In 1339, the seat of the doge would move from Palazzo San Giorgio to a new Palazzo Ducale (palace of the duke). That building also still stands, and while the interior is now a totally unrelated event space – it houses a Moby Dick exhibition as of this writing – the facade is from an 18th century renovation while it was still the seat of government.

Periods of rule by doges were interrupted by frequent conquering of Genoa by other powers, like France from 1396-1413 and Milan from 1421-1436. Foreign rule was thrown off for the final time in 1528 (the final “lifetime” doge was removed by the French in 1527 after he allied himself and his city with Spain, with France being assisted by the great Genoese admiral Andrea Doria who we will get to know more in the next article), and Genoa would be reborn again as a republic, with doges elected for simple two year terms.

This new Genoa was to enjoy the golden age of the city, one that would see wealth flow in as never before, and the projection of that wealth and power worldwide.

It is apropos that little remains from this chaotic period of Genoese history, but I understand it makes for a lightly illustrated article in terms of photos. But skipping these centuries seemed to make even less sense, so here we are. The best of this city is coming up soon!

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