Florence. between the German 
—— 
‘ors and the bishops of Rome, 
like the other cities of Tuscany and Lombar- 
dence. 
History. dy, was gradually acquiring strength along with the 
se fl 
Exposed to sudden assaults of hordes of Saracens, 
Bulgarians, and other barbarous nations, against whom 
their lords were unable to assist them, the 
first step towards freedom was the right granted them 
of surrounding their city with walls and fortifications. 
It was not,, however, until the reign of Otho I. about 
the people were 
epee and esta- 
mun vernment. constitu- 
tion adopted by tha cteatioes, was a deliberative 
class of citizens. OF these there 
iginally four, elected by the four of the 
city. When it was increased to six divisions, two new 
consuls were also added, who were elected in the same 
manner, 
the Florentine s to have 
i y taken part rapt nmr ween the 
and especially in that of Otho 
ss a 
IV. and Innocent III. yet the internal 
suet tae wanet haniy 
standing these long continued dissensions, the republic 
seems not to have suffered either in point of popula- 
tion or wealth. The annalists of that peri of the 
of the city, of the erection of 
FLORENCE.. 
375 
d having forced the chiefs of both parties to si Florence. 
ani ving e Ss parti sign a 
‘treaty of : they added to the captain of the peo- 
ple a Podesta of a Guelph family in Milan. 
No sooner was the popular government established 
in Florence, than the citizens, animated by the strength 
had acquired, endeavoured to bring over the whole 
of Tuscany to their party. For an account, however, 
of the wars that ensued, and the subsequent history of 
Florence, ‘as connected with foreign transactions, we 
refer our readers to the article ITaty, confining our- 
selves at present to a brief sketch of the internal revo- 
lutions of the republic. 
In the year 1258, the Ghibellines attempting to re 
gain their ancient ascendancy, were, in their turn, ex- 
from Florence, and obliged to take refuge in 
jenna. By that republic they were not only received 
but protected, notwithstanding the threats and decla- 
ration of war by the Florentine Signory. The Ghi- 
bellines soon acquired a still more powerful protector, 
Manfred, king of Sicily, who, at the solicitation of Fa- 
rinata des Uberti, sent to their aid a small body of Ger 
pone a~ On the total defeat of these by the Flo- 
tines, Manfred, irritated at the disgrace, resolved to 
take a more active in the war, and immediately 
par garde ides infantry, into the state of 
Sienna, under command of Giordano d’Anglone. 
Alarmed at this new addition of strength to their ene« 
pee ered 
in ienese territory. But ¥ influ- 
enced by their rtinust of the nobles, a 
tle was fought on the 4th tember, 1 
Aperto, on the banks of the Arbia, where the Guel 
were completely defeated, with the loss of 10,000 kil+ 
led, "békididctunthahecds ‘daxiber of platens. The 
consequence of this defeat was a second expulsion 
of the principal Guelphs, who, with their families, 
were, by the orders of the people, exiled from Florence, 
nine days after the battle. 
At a diet of the Ghibelline states of TAseyy it was 
seriously proposed to destroy completely city of 
Florence, whose growi wer and inclination to the 
ite faction rendered it 
opposi so dangerous to its neigh« 
bours ; and this meeting with ap) 
from the Tuscan deputies, was nearly on, lad 
not the firniness and eloquence of Farinata des Uberti; 
whose abilities so much contributed to the victory, been 
successful in altering the opinions of the diet, and pre- 
serving the independence of his country. For six years 
the Ghibellines retained the sovereignty, by the assist- 
tance of a garrison of the king of Sicily’s soldiers com~ 
manded by Count Guido Novella. spirit of the 
people, however, was hostile, and the tyrannical ads 
ministration of Guido did not diminish their attach- 
thent to the pontifical faction. 
The defeat of Manfred at Grandella by Charles of 
Anjou, and his subsequent death, raised the spirits 
of the exiles ; and Count Guido, alarmed by an insur- 
rection of the le, having deserted ‘his. post, the 
Ger witcha aided by 800 French’ onder the etmaabie d of 
Guy de eo celebrated Earl of Lei-« 
cester), re-entered Florence on Easter day 1267, and 
again expelled their ancient antagonists. Their whole 
property was immediately conficated, and, after the loss 
‘sustained by the Guelphs was repaired, thrown into 2 
fund, under the administration of particular. magis- 
, at Monte: 
History. 
