The Gonzaga Signoria, Communal Institutions and ‘the Honour of the City’: Mixed Ideas in Quattrocento Mantua

Research on the Gonzaga Signoria in Quattrocento Mantua reveals a complex interplay between despotic rule and communal governance, challenging traditional narratives of Renaissance Italian politics. The study demonstrates that the Gonzaga regime, while consolidating power as Captains of the People and Imperial Vicars from 1328, maintained elements of communal institutions, reflecting a 'mixed' system that balanced authority with civic traditions. This finding builds on Philip Jones’ earlier work by providing a localized case study in eastern Lombardy, illustrating how such hybrid governance structures functioned in practice. The analysis employs historical and institutional frameworks to dissect the Gonzaga’s political strategies, emphasizing their negotiation between centralized control and the preservation of 'the honour of the city.'

(Ed.). (2016). The Gonzaga Signoria, Communal Institutions and ‘the Honour of the City’: Mixed Ideas in Quattrocento Mantua. Communes and Despots in Medieval and Renaissance Italy, 125–138. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315259871-20