The Council of Ten was one of the most feared institutions of the Venetian Republic. Its task was to protect the security of the State.
It intervened in the most serious cases, especially those involving suspected conspiracies. Crimes against the State were considered more dangerous than murder.
Trials followed special and secret procedures. The harshest sentence was death by secret strangulation. In such cases, the body was not returned to the family, and the condemned person’s name could be erased from public records.
The Council operated through informants and confidential investigations. It was presided over by the Doge himself, highlighting the direct link between justice, power and State security.
