 FLORENCE
The city came under domination by various forces over the centuries: Byzantine, Ostrogoth, Longobard, Frankish and others. Florence continued to grow and became an independent city-state in the early 12th century. As its population grew, it had to find an answer to the problem of overcrowding, which it solved by building new city walls on the other side of the Arno so as to extend the city's urban area. It was forced to appoint a governor from outside during the civil war between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines to ensure impartiality. The Ghibellines, too, succeeded in holding sway over Florence for a short time, but their "luck" soon ran out, as the Guelphs resumed command over the city after the death of Emperor Frederick (who backed the Ghibellines). Subsequent clashes between Guelphs and Ghibellines saw the rise of the Compagnia delle Arti, trade associations that later gave rise to the "first republic of the people". The prominent figures born and bred in the city of art include Dante, Boccaccio, Donatello, Masaccio, Lorenzo the Magnificent, Leonardo da Vinci, Niccolò Machiavelli and Michelangelo. |
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