Wikipedia
Bailo or baylo (plural baili or bayli) is a Venetian title that derives from the Latin term baiulus, meaning "porter, bearer". In English, it may be translated bailiff, or otherwise rendered as bailey, baili, bailie, bailli or baillie. The office of a bailo is a bailaggio (sometimes anglicised "bailate"). The term was transliterated into Greek as μπαΐουλος (baioulos), but Nicephorus Gregoras translated it ἐπίτροπος (epitropos) or ἔφορος ( ephoros).
In the Middle Ages, a bailo was a resident ambassador of the Republic of Venice. The most famous baili were those at Constantinople, who were, from 1268, the Venetian ambassadors to the Byzantine court and, after 1453, to the Ottoman government. There were also permanent baili at Negroponte, Durazzo and Corfu. Baili were also sent to represent Venetian interests at the courts of Cyprus, Acre (Jerusalem), Armenia and Trebizond. In the mid-thirteenth century, the Venetian consuls in Tyre and Tripoli in the kingdom of Acre were upgraded to the rank of bailo. Venice also sent baili to oversee its colonies at Aleppo, Antivari, Koroni, Modon, Nauplia, Patras and Tenedos.
The term baiulus was first used in Venetian documents translated from Arabic in the twelfth century. It was originally used to refer to Muslim officials, but in the thirteenth century came to be applied to special envoys sent by Venice to govern its colonies in Frankish Greece. These governors doubled as diplomats. They operated courts for the Venetian colonists, collected taxes and customs dues and supervised Venetian trade. Each was assisted by a chancery (run by a chancellor) and a Council of Twelve, composed of the leading men of the colony and modeled on the Council of Ten in Venice. Each had a chaplain, a physician and an interpreter (or dragoman). Each sent back regular reports to Venice on the local politics, the affairs of the colony and, most importantly, the prices and quantities of goods in the local market. He was the superior of the consuls operating in the same country.
By the end of the 15th century, the office of bailo had mostly disappeared, with those operating on foreign soil being downgraded to consuls and those governing Venetian territories being termed rectors, captains or podestà. The bailates of Constantinople and Corfu, however, survived until the end of the republic in 1797.
Usage examples of "bailo".
As soon as I had explained to him that I wanted to go to Constantinople, and that, although in uniform, I was free, he advised me earnestly to seek the favour of going to Turkey with the bailo, who intended to leave within two months, and even to try to obtain service in the Venetian army.
Pierre Vendramin, an illustrious senator, obtained me the favour of a passage to Constantinople with the Chevalier Venier, who was proceeding to that city in the quality of bailo, but as he would arrive in Corfu a month after me, the chevalier very kindly promised to take me as he called at Corfu.
The moment he cast anchor, the bailo hoisted his flag of captain-general of the Venetian navy, and the proveditore hauled down his own colours.
The Republic of Venice has not on the sea any authority greater than that of Bailo to the Porte.
The bailo remained a week in Corfu, and all the naval authorities entertained him and his suite in turn, so that there was a constant succession of balls and suppers.
We were all provided with very comfortable lodgings, but the intensity of the heat induced the baili to seek for a little coolness in a country mansion which had been hired by the Bailo Dona.
The very first order laid upon me was never to go out unknown to the bailo, and without being escorted by a janissary, and this order I obeyed to the letter.
As I was taking leave of him, he was kind enough to say that, since his arrival in Turkey, he had never passed two hours as pleasantly as those he had just spent with me, and that he would compliment the bailo about me.
The Bailo Dona, who had known him intimately in Venice, desired me to be the bearer of all his friendly compliments for him, and M.
The Bailo Dona sent one of his men who played the violin well enough for dancing purposes.
When I went on board ship with the Bailo Jean Dona, I found another case given to me by him, containing two quintals of the best Mocha coffee, one hundred pounds of tobacco leaves, two large flagons filled, one with Zabandi tobacco, the other with camussa, and a magnificent pipe tube of jessamine wood, covered with gold filigrane, which I sold in Corfu for one hundred sequins.
I received the congratulations of the baili upon the excellent acquaintances I had already made, and M.
The baili thought me very pensive, and asked whether anything was the matter with me, but I did not feel disposed to gratify their curiosity.
My misery was at its height, when new life was infused in me by the booming of the guns fired in honour of the arrival of the bailo.
The Bailo Dona, who had known him intimately in Venice, desired me to be the bearer of all his friendly compliments for him, and M.