The Knight of Malta and Putignano
The Knights of Malta and Putignano
The order was divided into eight sections Called Languages, ie Nations (Italy, Provence, Auvergne, France, Aragon, Castile, England, Alemagna) and to the government of each of these a Dignitary was appointed, which included part of the Grand Council of Order.
The Balì and the Commendatori were among the dignitaries.
The bailiffs could be of three different classes: the former were called conventuals and each Lingua had one, they were the most conspicuous and important after the Grand Master, the latter were the Capitulars and the difference of the former not required residency requirements in the convent, the third were Balì ad Honorem.
The Commanders had to send a tribute into the treasure of the Order which was called "Responsio", this tribute was obligatory under penalty of losing the Commenda and the dress. Furthermore, the duty to keep nothing for families.
The internal disagreements over territoriality on the Abbey of Santo Stefano led after 228 years of Benedictine garrison to the Knights Gerosolomitani, in the early days of the Abbey belonged to the Lingua di Provenza, but the interventions in 1477 finally passed to the Lingua of Italy.
As the income dedicated to the Abbey rose from year to year, the Lingua d'Italia in 1769 ordered the dismemberment of the Abbey (the Bailiwick of Santo Stefano included only in the territory of the current Fasano) founding 2 Commendas: Putignano the Greater with an income of 3000 Ducati and Putignano la Minore with an income of 1000 Ducati. Both were administered by a single Commendatore.
The first entry of the Balì in the city constitutes an event of great involvement for all the citizens, in fact all the Authorities, the Clergy and the people were moved going to the doors of the town on Via Castellana. The Balì worked with sounds, sounds and musket discharges of the soldiers, who accompanied the church of San Giovanni, from 1530 instead to the church of San Sebastiano dei P.P. Observant, probably because it is wider.
The Balì dismounted from the horse or carriage and in the request it was possible to access the garment with the clothes of Gala.
Then preceded by the Clergy, by the Religious, by the Brotherhoods and followed by the authorities and the people, by the festive ringing, on the other in the city riding under a canopy, whose rods were held by the most elusive doctors. To his right was the Captain, to the left the Mayor, both holding the reins of the horse. Arriving at Porta Maggiore, he descended from his horse by the rite of the adoration of the Cross, in fact the Archpriest Prior of Saint Peter dressed in white pin, the expectation and offered her the Cross before which he knelt. Declared the Camerlengo as a sign of publication and obedience, he presented him with the keys of the city and prisons on a silver platter.
After the ceremonial, the procession reassembled itself and continued until the church of S. Pietro where the Te Deum was sung.
The Balì then sat on the throne and the authorities went to kiss his hand as a sign of obedience.
At the end of the ceremony, preceded by the Clergy, followed by the Captain, by the Mayor, by the Elect and by the Doctors, he is withdrawn in the building next to the church. Il Balì Enjoyed the Jus Pascendi of the state territory, or the livestock breeders had to pay an annual tribute to the head, he in return at his own expense visited churches and holy places.
Citizens have many duties: for example, if the Bailiff heard blasphemy, the blasphemer had to pay a tarì, if a cane appears in a vineyard in time of harvest the owner would be sanctioned. There were penalties and fines of all kinds, even on work waste (the shoemaker who emptied the tanks in the street in which you had made with leather tanning paid 5 fine grits)
In 1358 Putignano returned to a distant part of the Feudo di Santo Stefano. It is said that when the Hungarians and the Bitontines came to Putignano to submit it to King Louis of Hungary, the citizens thought well of going to meet with wine and food, thus managing to suffer a great deal of damage, the chroniclers of the time appealed them Wisemen.
Fra Guerrino di Castelnuovo named Balì succeeded with his decisions in accommodating all citizens and appeasing internal disagreements, appointing his personal vicar for spiritual jurisdiction in all the places of the desperation. In 1437 the Bailiff of Don Marino Malatesta rich and powerful devotee of King Alfonso of Aragon, after having persuaded the Putignanesi to travel for these in the war against the Duke of Anjou, formed a citizen army and ran to help him. Having obtained the victory in 1439, the Balì received the honorary title of Vir Nobilis which gave the data from the ancient kings only to the titles, while citizenship was allowed to extract 240 some of oil from the olive groves of Santo Stefano