| Encyclopedia: Doges of Genoa (1649 words) |
 | Genoa (Italy) was technically a communal republic in the early Middle Ages, but in actuality it was an oligarchy ruled by a small group of merchant families, from whom were selected the Doges of Genoa. |
| Initially the Doge of Genoa was elected without restriction and by popular suffrage, holding office for life in the so-called "perpetual dogate"; but after the reform effected by Andrea Doria in 1528 the term of his office was reduced to two years. |
| Genoa did not trust its doges; they tied them to executive committees, kept them on a small budget, and kept them apart from the communal revenues held at the "Casa di san Giorgio". |
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