The House of Smecchia is the name of an old aristocratic family of Serbian origin from Perast that rose to power during the Republic of Venice.

[1] The area flourished during the 14th century under the rule of Dušan the Mighty, Emperor of the Serbs who, notorious for his aggressive law enforcement, made the Bay of Kotor a particularly safe and prosperous place for doing business.

[2] Centuries later, when the Kotor Bay became part of the Republic of Venice, Vincenzo Vicko Smekja (1694-1762) brought about the economic prosperity of the family, following his famous merchant undertaking when he established a trading route between Venice, Genoa and Mediterranean Sea in his ship “Leon Koronato” in 1746.

In 1748, Vicko and his brother Kristofor Krsto were awarded with the title of “Konte” (Count) by Pietro Grimani, who was at that time Doge of Venice.

[3] A branch of the Smecchia family was notable in Perast, Boka Kotorska, Venetian Republic (today Montenegro).