DALMATIA

HISTORICAL-GEOGRAPHICAL-ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION

The region is located on the eastern Adriatic coast between the Bebie Alps and the sea and also includes the nearby islands; it extends from the Gulf of Carnaro to the Bay of Cattaro.

In 1409, Venice obtained the rights to Dalmatia from Ladislaus of Anjou, and between 1409 and 1421 (with some later additions) through conflict, purchase and dedizione, the coastal towns, the islands and part of the Bocche came under Venetian power. In 1573 the province reached its smallest extent when Venetian lands were handed over to the Turks (who also conquered the Hungarian fortress of Clissa) Venetian Dalmatia reached its minimum territorial limit, consisting, in practice, of a series of coastal towns with small surrounding areas, in addition to the islands: “one could hear the Turkish rooster crowing in the cities by the sea.”

On 1669, the peace of Candia ended the war begun in 1645 and on October 30th, 1671 a treaty established the new territorial structure, later known as acquisto vecchio, that was ratified by the linea Nani: Venice acquired Clissa and lost Macarsca e Poglizza.

On 1699 the treaty of Carlovitz ended the war of Morea begun in 1684 and gave Venice other parts of the Dalmatian hinterland; this was known as acquisto nuovo and was ratified by the linea Grimani: Venice acquired Tenin, Sign, Citluch and almost all the area of the Bocche (besides Morea).

The treaty of Passarowitz ended the war of 1714-1718 and gave Venice the so-called acquisto nuovissimo, ratified by the linea Mocenigo (1721). Venice acquired Imoschi, the left bank of Cettina and the high course of Cherca, and handed over to the Turks the inner part of the area of Narenta, besides Morea.

PROVINCIAL OR EXTRAORDINARY MAGISTRACIES

After Dalmatia passed to Venice, the region was organized into regiments without the establishment of supra-regimental offices due to Venice's well-known reluctance to grant broad jurisdictional powers over an entire province, except temporarily and for exceptional reasons.

However, starting in the late 1420s, Sindici, Capitani generali, or Provveditori estraordinari or generali began to visit and govern the region, without a permanent seat in Zara or any other city. Until the 1570s, these figures typically held the role of inquisitorial oversight, with limited duration to extraordinary occasions and very broad powers in military, judicial, and administrative fields. Toward the end of the century, their appointment became more frequent, their powers stabilized, and the Provveditoria generale became permanent.

In fact, this was the only truly significant Venetian magistracy in Dalmatia and one of the three pillars on which the control of the Stato da Mar was based, the others being the Provveditore (or Capitano) generale da mar in Corfu and the Bailo in Constantinople.