Palazzo San Giorgio in Genua.
A maona or mons was a loan to a state or city in medieval Italy. The investors were registered in a public register and obtained the right to tax revenues (compera delle imposte) or trade privileges. The loan was divided into equal parts (loca or partes) that were freely negotiable, comparable to modern effects. For the duration of the loan, the holders of the locals joined a societas comperarum. With these partnerships, the tax receivables were collected and the loan was paid off. Thus, maona was closed by Venice and Genoa for trade with Bruges, Antwerp and London. Between 1318 and 1532, the galleys of the Flemish fleet regularly travel to Flanders.
There were also longer-term organizations. The Maona di Chio e di Focea, also known as Maona dei Giustiniani, consisted from 1346 to 1566. It was founded to finance a Genoa fleet of 29 galleys with which Chios and the ancient and new Phocaea had to be conquered in Venice. After the conquest, Chios was ruled by Genoa, while the Maona was given the right of usufruct (dominium utile) from Chios and Phocaea. German lawyer Levin Goldschmidt mentioned this as the first public company, although there was also some criticism as a loca represented a debt and no property. In 1350 the Compera Magna Venetorum was re-funded the fight against Venice. In 1373 the Genoa Maona Vecchia di Cipro was established for Cyprus.
In 1407, the Officium procuratorium San Giorgio, later the San Giorgio Banco, was set up to manage a number of comperae. In 1454, the Officer managed almost all of Genoa's sovereign debt. It gained the usurpation of the Genuine colonies, including Corsica. It became a sovereign authority and, according to Machiavelli, a state in the state. Literature
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