Institution

Signoria of Florence

1282–1532 · 13th century

The Signoria was the chief executive body of the Republic of Florence, composed of the priors of the guilds and, from 1293, the Gonfaloniere of Justice. Its members were chosen by lot from bags of eligible citizens and served terms of two months, living in the Palazzo Vecchio during office, a system meant to prevent any one family from seizing power. It was abolished in 1532 when Alessandro de' Medici became duke.

Signoria of Florence
Image: Charles V. Monin · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Signoria of Florence. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/signoria-of-florence
MLA
“Signoria of Florence.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/signoria-of-florence. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Signoria of Florence.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/signoria-of-florence.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Signoria of Florence’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/signoria-of-florence (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻