02: Florence’s Rise to Power

Florence as new power center: how does this happen?
1. economic development
2. international politics, especially the papacy

       
                      walls

Signs of expansion: new walls, 1173-5
Includes Oltrarno—expanded in 13th c
Next big circle of walls: 1284-1333

Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore (1296-1436); Palazzo Vecchio (begun 1299)

Maps: City museum

General issue in Italy: the rise of new urban governments: 1000-1200

Larger setting: the Holy Roman Empire

  • 2 main parts: Kingdoms of Germans, Kingdom of Italy
  • 1053: Normans capture Sicily, S. Italy from Muslims Papacy recognizes them as rulers
  • Reminder: Investiture Controversy (ca 1075-1122)

Italian cities: rise of the “comune” ca 1100 (Eng: commune)

  • association of merchants
  • Oath: private, contract
  • corporate body
  • elected consuls
  • 1183 Lombard League defeats HRE, wins legal recognition (1183)

podestà

  • Introduced by emperor; ultimate authority in city. Legal training; administrative staff

Guilds

  • corporate bodies
  • protect business dealings
  • regulate quality, training, support for members, etc
  • Because of economic clout, will want say in running of govt
Italy 12c

Big picture: Politics in the Thirteenth Century: the big players

Staufen or Hohenstaufen Dynasty: combines HRE, Sicily
Frederick Barbarossa’s son Henry VI marries a Norman princess in Sicily: Constance
1197 Henry dies.     heir: baby Frederick

   Frederick II Becomes king of Sicily, HRE
threat to Italy, including papal states
1250 Frederick dies

Guelf-Ghibelline conflicts

  • Welf: family in opposition to Staufen
  • Waiblingen: a Stauren territory

 

 

 

War after death of Frederick II

  • Papacy claims S. Tuscany
  • HRE claims rest: Kingdom of Italy
  • Manfred claims Naples and Sicily

 

Capital needed: Florentine bankers

Manfred defeated at Battle of Benevento, 1266 by Guelfs, Charles of Anjou
1268 Conradin, last Staufen heir, defeated
long-term alliance  Rome-Florence-France-Regno (“Kingdom”)

1282  “Sicilian Vespers”: revolt against Charles of Anjou
1296: King Peter  of Aragon rules Sicily
thrones of Sicily and Aragon  diverge until 1409

 Florin Florin: first minted 1252

Florentine effects: 

1237 Battle of Cortenuova: Frederick claims right to name Florence’s podestà
Ghibellines exile Guelfs

1250: Frederick dies, Guelf exiles defeat Ghibellines
New Government: merchants: “Primo Popolo”
militia (gonfaloni)
Captain of the people
2 advisory councils: guilds, gonfaloni

 

Bargello Bargello: built for primo popolo

 



Bargello cortile

 




Bargello Loggia

1260: Manfred (illegitimate son of Frederick),
Sienese, Ghibellines defeat Florentine Guelfs at Montaperti. Guelfs exiled
1265:  Florence supports Guelfs
Palazzo, Piazza della Signoria
1282 Sicilian Vespers: Guelfs weakened: factions fight in Florence

gurlf-gibellines Tuscany

Daniel Waley,  The Italian City-Republics, p.213

Families:
Old nobles; magnates (magnati); grandi
Ghibellines
House towers
New money: trade

contado

1292: “Secondo popolo”: guild based government. Dino Compagni

 1293, 1295: Ordinances of Justice
government by guild members
Nobles post security deposits

Guelfs split into Blacks and Whites

1302 expulsion of  White Guelphs