Signoria

Palazzo Vecchio, the former seat of the Signoria of Florence

A signoria (Italian: [siɲɲoˈriːa]) was the governing authority in many of the Italian city-states during the Medieval and Renaissance periods.[1] The word signoria comes from signore (Italian: [siɲˈɲoːre]), or "lord", an abstract noun meaning (roughly) "government", "governing authority", de facto "sovereignty", "lordship"; pl.: signorie.

  1. ^ "Signoria". Enciclopedia Treccani (in Italian).