RIVALRY WITH FLORENCE AND GENOA The chief authority was still vested in the nobles, who, both in Pisa and in Sardinia, exercised almost sovereign power. They formed the real strength of the republic, and kept it faithful to the empire and the Ghibelline party. The Guelph and popular element which constituted the force and prosperity of Florence was hostile to Pisa, and led to its downfall. Owing to the political and commercial interests binding Florence to the Roman court, the Guelph element naturally prevailed there, while growth of its trade and commerce necessarily compelled that republic to encroach on waters subject to Pisan rule. And, although Pisa had hitherto been able to oppose a vigorous resistance to Genoa and Lucca, it was not so easy to continue the struggle when its enemies were backed by the arms and political wisdom of the Florentines, who were skilled in obtaining powerful allies. The chroniclers ascribe the first war with Florence, which broke out in 1222, to a ridiculous motive. The ambassadors of the rival states in Rome are said to have quarrelled about a lapdog— which merely shows that there were already so many general and permanent reasons for war that no special cause was needed to provoke it. In 1228 the Pisans met and defeated the united forces of Florence and Lucca near Barga in the Garfagnana, and at the same time they despatched 52 galleys to assist Frederick II. in his expedition to the East. Shortly after this they renewed hostilities with the Genoese on account of Sardinia, and war was intermittent down to 1259, when it terminated in the decisive victory of the Pisans and the consolidation of their supremacy in Sardinia. But meanwhile Florence had made alliance with Genoa, Lucca and all the Guelph cities of Tuscany against its Ghibelline rival: the pope had excommunicated Frederick II. and all his adherents; and, as a crowning disaster, the death of Frederick in 1250 proved a mortal blow to the Italian Ghibelline cause. Nevertheless the Pisans were undaunted. Summoning Siena, Pistoia and the Florentine exiles to their aid, they boldly faced their foe, but were defeated in 1254. Soon after this date
we find the old aristocratic government of Pisa replaced by a more popular form. Instead of the consuls there were now 12 elders (anziani) ; besides the podesta, there was a captain of the people; and there was a general council as well as a senate of 4o members. The rout of the Tuscan Guelphs on the field of Montaperti ( 126o) restored the fortunes of Pisa. But the battle of Benevento (1266), where Manfred fell, and the rout of Tagliacozzo (1268), sealing the ruin of the house of Hohenstaufen in Italy and the triumph of that of Anjou, were fatal to Pisa. For the republic had always sided with the empire and favoured Conradin, whose cruel end struck terror into the Ghibelline faction. The pope hurled an edict against the Pisans and tried to deprive them of Sardinia, while their merchants were driven from Sicily by the Angevins. The internal condition of the city was affected by these events. Owing to the increasing influence of the Guelph and popular side, to which the more ambitious nobles began to adhere for the furtherance of personal aims, the aristo cratic Ghibelline party was rapidly losing ground. At this time Count Ugolino della Gherardesca had become the virtual head of the republic, and, in order to preserve its independence and his own sway, inclined to the Guelphs and the popular party, in spite of the Ghibelline traditions of his race. He was supported by his kinsman, Giovanni Visconti, judge of Gallura, in Sardinia; but almost all the other great families vowed eternal hatred against him, and proclaimed him a traitor. In 1274 he and Vis conti were driven into exile. Both then joined the Florentines, took part in the war against their native city, and laid waste its surrounding territories. In 1276 the Pisans were compelled to agree to very grievous terms—to exempt Florentine merchandise from all harbour dues, to yield certain strongholds to Lucca, and to permit the return of Count Ugolino. Thus the count again became a powerful leader in Pisa. Visconti, however, was dead.