History of the administrations that ruled the country over the centuries

The city chronicles tell that many devout people from Putignano led by a priest left for pilgrimages to Monopoli on the eve of Ferragosto. The citizens took part in the procession in honor of Maria SS della Madia. At the same time monopolitan pilgrims came to the church of S. Maria la Greca to venerate the silver image of the Assunta, which in 1798 was requisitioned by the Bourbons. The two groups met along the road and exchanged the kiss of peace. The people of Putignano, however, were obliged to return to the city no later than 3:00 pm on the day of August 15th, as since the most remote times, every year on this day the election of the city government took place.

The elected took office on 1 September, the day on which the administrative year began in the Greek manner. The citizens of age who paid a tax were voters.

In order to designate the administrators, they all met in the church of St. Peter under the chairmanship of a Governor (if a doctor) or a Captain (if not a doctorate) appointed by the Balì, according to the rules of Ferdinando king of the Ostrogoths.

In 1636, due to various disagreements that had taken place, the People's Government ceased in favor of the aristocratic family leaders of three classes: nobles, artisans and peasants.

With this method the voters no longer indicated the Administrators, but 110 (then reduced to 33) Family heads who made up the General Council with the doctors, who had the onerous task of establishing annual fees and proceeding to elect the mayor and the others Authority.

The Mayor had to be Nobili, in the event that a judge or notary was elected, the one who had ascended to this office, considered himself automatically Noble (as provided for by the decree of Queen Giovanna II) “It is not only noble he who is of original nobility , but also those who live with political, literary and without mechanical art nobility. "

The same voters elected six Decurions (Heads of the Municipal Administration) commonly called Eletti, also named three Camerlenghi (he was the one who kept the keys to the city and the prisons, he was the holder of the security of the walls and the city.) One of which was assent approved by the Balì, the rationales, the lawyers, the zecchieri (for weights and measures) and the Portulano (he was the one who verified and eventually punished the occupations of the public ground, he was interested in public works and prevented the predial services).

The Portulano and the Mayor then had to be confirmed by the Regia Camera della Sommaria. Finally, 24 people were proposed to the Balì for the choice of 12 Jurors, who depended on the Camerlengo and who had to proceed with the election of all the other employees of the University.

The Mayor and the Elect nominated from the artisan class the Country Deputies who had the task of acting as Catapani (who took care of the annona), that is to say, they provided for the wheat, the meat and all that which the citizenship needed.

This regime that did not give much freedom to the elected, lasted until the expulsion of the Knights of Malta by Napoleon I. Since it was thought that the power wears out and mounts the head, it proceeded to the annual renewal of the offices and then to the elections from scratch . The doctors after the administration became part of the General Council, so the number of Doctors grew so much that the scholar and Poet Giambattista Notarangelo (1659-1744) appealed this event as a Flood and wrote "Look how many doctors and wise men, how many Laws passed from this city to the learned, this city can already be called the Lyceum of Athens. Do you deceive me, or won't it be the high school of Arcadia? "

 

The Administration of Justice

The city of Putignano has always had its own judiciary magistrate, because it is considered more important than the neighboring countries. Thus the civil, penal and error justice was administered by a Substitute or Lieutenant of the Balì, the nomination of the Master of Acts (Chancellor), the Tax Attorney and Consultor. However, the citizen has the right to appeal to the Dean or to the Royal Hearing.

There is also the tribunal of the Bagliva, which included in addition to the Maestro d'Atti, also two judges, one appointed by the mayor and the other by the Balì, although at the end of each year the treated documents carefully examined by two upright appointed citizens University. For the ecclesiastics instead there was another court presided over by the Vicar General of the Bailiwick and by special judges chosen by the Bailiff.

The Magistrates worked on the ground floor of the Balì building, where the prisons were.

At the left corner of the Andresini palace, stood the column of the Gogna to which the condemned man, facing the people, tied with an iron collar and chain at his feet. Those who had failed, on the other hand, had to dare to turn their backs on the citizens. The column is currently preserved in the villa Karusio.

Under the French government the Justice of the Peace was elected while under the Bourbon government the District Judge was elected. The supreme civil lord was the Balì or the Commendatore, in his absence his throne was held by the Governor or Caitano who resided in the Balì palace.