Most Serene Republic

Most Serene Republic (Republica Serenissima in Latin) is a title attached to the following countries:

• Republic of Venice (English: the Most Serene Republic of Venice; Venetian: Serenìsima Repùblica Vèneta), city-state that existed from 697 to 1797 based in the city of Venice with continuously controlled territory along the eastern Adriatic at its strongest period. "La Serenissima" was also popularly used as a specific reference to the Venetian government or state authorities.
• Republic of Genoa (English: the Most Serene Republic of Genoa; Italian: Serenissima Repubblica di Genova), an independent state based in present-day Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast from ca. 1100 to 1805. Long just plain "Republic", the honorific "Most Serene" was only added after the election of the first Doge of Genoa (1339). Even so, to distinguish itself from its ancient rival, the Genoese rarely used it, opting more frequently for the appellation "Superb Republic" (Italian: La Superba Repubblica), a nickname allegedly coined by Petrarch in 1358.
• Republic of Lucca (English: the Most Serene Republic of Lucca; Italian: Serenissima Repubblica di Lucca), city-state that existed from 1119 to 1799 based in the city of Lucca, in northern Tuscany, Italy. Lucca was the third largest Italian city state (after Venice and Genoa) with a republican constitution ("comune") to remain independent over the centuries.
• San Marino (English: the Most Serene Republic of San Marino; Italian: Serenissima Repubblica di San Marino), a current independent state, wholly surrounded by Italy, founded in 301. Although commonly referred to as the Republic of San Marino or simply San Marino, it officially retains the longer form.
• Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (English: "the Most Serene" Commonwealth of Both Nations;^[1] Latin: "Serenissima" Res Publica Utriusque Nationis, Polish: "Najjaśniejsza" Rzeczpospolita Obojga Narodów), an elective monarchy in Central and Eastern Europe, existing from 1569 until 1795.

By custom, the appellation "Most Serene" is an indicator of sovereignty (cf. Serene Highness or Most Serene Highness for a sovereign prince), consequently "Most Serene Republic" emphasizes the sovereignty of the republic.

Most Serene Republic may also refer to:

• The Most Serene Republic, a Canadian indie rock band

See also: Serene Highness

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

References

1. ^ (English) Gordon Swoger (2004). The strange odyssey of Poland's national treasures, 1939-1961: a Polish-Canadian story. Dundurn Press Ltd. p. 18. ISBN 15-50025-15-5. http://books.google.pl/books?id=SxWj8HOlYroC&printsec=frontcover&hl=en&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false.