podesta

[ poh-des-tuh, poh-duh-stah ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

any of certain magistrates in Italy, as a chief magistrate in medieval towns and republics.
a person appointed to serve as mayor of an Italian city during the Fascist regime.

podesta

/ pɒˈdɛstə; podeˈsta /

(in modern Italy) a subordinate magistrate in some towns
(in Fascist Italy) the chief magistrate of a commune
in medieval Italy
1. any of the governors of the Lombard cities appointed by Frederick Barbarossa
2. a chief magistrate in any of various republics, such as Florence

Origin of podesta¹

1540–50; < Italian podestà power < Latin potestās power, command

Origin of podesta¹

C16: from Italian: power, from Latin potestās ability, power, from posse to be able

They let the Podestà escape, but burnt all books and papers, especially those of the hated Arte della Lana.

Here sat the Podestà, with his assessors and retainers, whom he brought with him to Florence–himself always an alien noble.

Opening out of this is the famous Chapel of the Podestà–famous for the frescoes on its walls–once a prison.

Andrea Barrofaldi, the vice-governatore, was a very different sort of person from his friend the podestà.

Andrea Barrofaldi did not let so excellent an opportunity to show his acquirements to the podestà go by neglected.

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