republic · Italy

Republic of Noli

1192 CE – 1797 CE · capital Noli

A tiny Ligurian seaside republic that kept its independence, under Genoese protection, from 1192 until 1797.

Origins

Noli, a small port on the western Riviera, freed itself from the Del Carretto marquises and became a self-governing commune in 1192. It soon placed itself under the protection of the Republic of Genoa while keeping its own institutions.

Rule and society

Noli was governed by consuls and later by a council and podestà, and lived from fishing, shipbuilding and sea trade. Its ships joined Genoese expeditions, including crusading voyages. In 1239 Pope Gregory IX made it a bishopric, a sign of its standing. The town kept its medieval walls, towers and the Romanesque church of San Paragorio.

Decline and legacy

Noli survived as a nominal republic allied to Genoa for six centuries. It was absorbed into the French-backed Ligurian Republic in 1797.

Lineage

Republic of NoliLigurian Republic 1797 CE – 1805 CE

Connections (1)

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Republic of Noli. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/republic-of-noli
MLA
“Republic of Noli.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/republic-of-noli. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Republic of Noli.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/republic-of-noli.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Republic of Noli’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/republic-of-noli (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻