Giorgio Adorno

Giorgio Adorno (Genoa, c. 1350 – 1430) was a statesman who became doge of the Republic of Genoa for two years. He was the brother of Antoniotto I Adorno, who was elected four times as doge of the Republic. Little is known about his youth except that he married Pietrina Montaldo, daughter of the doge Leonardo Montaldo. With her, he had nine children, including the future doge Raffaele Adorno.

Mandate

In 1396, the Republic of Genoa had joined the French kingdom but regained its independence on 21 March 1413. The short-lived government of the eight rectors rapidly gave way, and Giorgio was elected doge less than a week later. On the diplomatic scene, Giorgio managed to regain some of the territories that had been given away by the French governor during the occupation. In particular, the Republic bought back numerous castles and villages from the Marquesse of Monferat and the Republic of Florence and regained control of the lower Piedmont and the Riviera.

An important step in the effort to stabilize the Republic was the promulgation of the new constitution. The main points of the new regime were the greater influence granted to the doge in the system, and the official allegiance to the Ghibelline faction. In case of vacancy of the dogeship, the sovereignty of the Republic was to pass to the council of the Twelve Ancients.

Civil war

Noble families had been locked in a series of conflicts for several decades. The crisis came to a head when Isnardo Guarco organized a revolt in the newly reconquered territories near Tuscany, but the rebellion was quickly suppressed. In December 1414, Battista Montaldo led a strong Guelph faction constituted of the Spinola, Vivaldi, Grilli, Negroni, Da Mare and Imperiali families against the Ghibelline families (Fregoso, Giustiniani, Promontorio, Soprani) who supported the Adorno dogeship. Street battles and homicides unfolded despite the calls for peace by the Archbishop. Noble families that owned large tracts of land along the Rivieras as well as the Apennines and the Oltregiogo (e.g. Fieschi and Doria), took part in the street riots according to their own interests. Even the communities in these regions participated in the conflict, siding with factions such as the Doria-Campofregoso and Spinola-Adorno in Savona. The rule of the Republic was left to the Government of the Two Priors, Tommaso di Campofregoso and Jacopo Giustiniani. Once ousted, Giorgio Adorno obtained the governorship of Caffa and a yearly stipend of 300 ducats.