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This paper addresses the Koper Captains of the Slavs (Capitaneus Sclavorum Justinopolis), named after the ethnic/linguistic character of the Koper countryside over which they held jurisdiction during the Venetian period from 1349 until the beginning of the nineteenth century. It is certainly, at least in name, a unique position that has thus far been insufficiently researched. The main source for this study is the Book of the Koper Captains of the Slavs from the old Koper archives, kept at the State Archives of Venice (ASVe), which has not yet received a proper presentation, as well as archival sources of some other Venetian institutions. The paper also includes a Slovene translation of this document in the appendix. The book contains various stipulations from 1587 to 1724, especially regarding the collection of taxes, as well as general stipulations on the jurisdiction of the Captain of the Slavs. Its analysis shows that the annual obligations of the 42 Koper villages amounted to 2,605 lire and 8 solidi, of which the Koper Podesta and Captain received a bit over 419 lire, and the Captain of the Slavs a bit over 544 lire. In addition, the villagers had to pay special taxes during the Rižana fair (Assumption of Mary, 15 August), at Carnival, Easter, Martinmas, also some for Christmas and for hunting permits. Furthermore, they had to pay contributions for the wood for the maintenance of the Koper bridge, for the town bell ringer and the town clock. On individual village holidays, the village mayors also had to entertain the Captain of the Slavs and his entourage in addition to handing over the collected special contributions. The village's obligations to the fiscal (provincial) chamber amounted to a bit over 515 lire. In short, the obligations of the Koper villages to their Captain were substantial, especially if we take into account the numerous testimonies of the poverty of these villages at the time. The Koper Captain of the Slavs had a special role especially in the military organization of the Koper commune. He was responsible for the defence in the Koper countryside, oversaw border disputes between village communes, collected taxes, and was also in charge of lower-court matters. In addition, the organization of defence and control of the Venetian-Habsburg (Imperial) border played an extremely important role during various epidemics, as quarantines for travellers coming from infected areas were established in the defence posts manned by peasant soldiers (cernida) under the command of the Captain of the Slavs. From the viewpoint of social history and also for further research and comparisons, the Book of the Captain of the Slavs is very important, because in addition to the position's established centuries-long jurisdictions and role in the Koper commune, it also provides interesting details about the monetary value of contributions, from which we can understand the commune's social pulse, individual village fairs and the role of mayors and, in particular, which economic sectors or, rather, crops important for survival dominated the Koper countryside during the centuries of Venetian rule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]