Dubrovnik's coat-of-arms seems to have a crown at its top even though this aristocratic republic was about as anti-king as could be. Power was solely in the hands of the nobles who bred so well in their closed social class that by the 16th century they numbered nearly 1500 -- and controlled all of the land. Their upper crust formed an oligarchy which ran things. But they ruled well and even the commoners were prosperous and individual rights were king -- and therefore there was little civil unrest during its 400 years of independence.
First |
Previous Picture |
Next Picture |
Last
