In the year 1258, the Ghibellines attempting to regain their ancient ascendancy, were in their turn, expelled from Florence, and obliged to take refuge in Sienna. By that republic they were not only received but protected, not withstanding the threats and declaration of war by the Flo rentine Scignory. The Ghibellines soon acquired a still more powerful protector, Manfred, king of Sicily, who, at the solicitation of Farinata des Uberti, sent to their aid a small body of German cavalry. On the total defeat of these by the Florentines, Manfred, irritated at the disgrace, resolved to take a more active part in the war, and imme diately sent 800 cavalry, besides infantry, into the state of Sienna, under the command of Giordabod'Anglone. Alarm ed at this new addition of strength to their enemies, the heads of the Guelphs to attack them in the Sienese ter ritory. But the people, partly influenced by their distrust of the nobles, and pd•tly by the intrigues of two of the A nziani, whom Ubcrti had gained over by bribery, insisted on invading Sienna. The Fiorentine army accordingly took the field, consisting of 3,)00 cavalry and 30,000 infantry, and a battle was fought on the 4th- September, 1260, at Monte A perto, on the banks of the Arbia, where the Guelphs were completely defeated, with the loss of 10000 killed, besides au immense number of prisoners. The conse quence of this defeat was a second expulsion of the prin cipal Guelphs, %%ho, with their families, were, by the or ders of the people, exiled from Florence, nine days after the battle.
At a diet of the -Ghibelline states of Tuscany, it was seriously proposed to destroy completely the city of Flo rence, whose growing power and inclination to the opposite faction rendered it so dangerous to its neighbours ; and this proposal meeting with approbation from the Tuscan depu ties, was nearly agreed on, bad not the firmness and elo quence of Farinata des Uberti, whose abilities so much contributed to the victory, been successful in altering the opinions of the diet, and preserving the independence of his country. For six years the Ghibellines retained the sovereignty, by the assistance of a garrison of the king of Sicily's soldiers, commanded by Count Guido Novella. The spirit of the people, however, was hostile, and the ty rannical administration of Guido did not diminish their attachment 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 insurrection of the people, having deserted his post, the Guelphs, aided by 800 French under the command of Guy de Montfort, (son of the cele brated Earl of Leicester), re-entered Florence on Easter day 1267, and again expelled their ancient antagonists. Their whole property was immediately confiscated, and, after the loss sustained by the Guelphs was repaired, thrown into a fund, under the administration of particular magis trates destined to provide for the constant maintenance and increase of the Guelph party. At this period, also, an im portant addition was made to the Florentine constitution of four new councils, without the co-operation of which, the .seignory could not determine on any point of importance. The first in order was the Council of the People," con sisting of an hundred citizens. Next, but on the same day, the council cc De Credenza" was consulted ; this consisted of 80 members, and in it the heads of the seven principal trades had a right to a seat. From both these councils, the
watchful jealousy of the people excluded all nobles and Ghibellines. On the following day, the business was con sidered by the council of the Podesta and the general coun cil, the former composed of 90 members, indiscriminately chosen from the nobles and plebeians, besides tne heads of the trades, and the latter of 300 citizens of all denomina tions. The establishment of these tended greatly to in crease the influence of the people. The number of citi zens composing them, and their continuing in office only one year, prevented them from having any peculiar inter ests independent of their constituents ; while the check they afforded on the magistracy was immediate and pow erful.
In the year 1279, by the zealous and active interposition of the Cardinal Latino, legate and nephew to Pope Nicho las III, a peace was concluded between the Guelphs and Ghibellines; to the latter were restored their fortunes and estates, and the right of participation in the public offices. At the same time, the pious endeavours of the Cardinal were successful in putting an end to a family feud between the Adimari and-Donati, in which a considerable portion of the people had participated.
In 1282, the Florentines adopted a new system of go vernment, which continued until the downfall of the repub lic. This was a new seignory, consisting of six members, who were styled priors of the arts and of liberty, one be ing chosen from each of the incorporated professions, ex cept that of the judges and notaries. These continued in of fice only two months ; and, during that time, resided in the public palace, which they were not allowed to quit. The council of election consisted of the seignory going out of of office, with the heads and councils of the principal pro fesssions, and certain others chosen by them from the dif ferent quarters of the city. No person could be re-elected in less than two years, and a subsequent law excluded all nobles or gentlemen, although nominally members of the corporation, from being ever elected priors. This, and the other laws, tending to destroy the power of the nobles, were called the Ordinamenti della Giu•tizia, and were in troduced by Giano della Bella, who, though a noble, had more regard for the general liberties of his country, than the peculiar interests of his order.
It was not the destiny of Florence to continue long in a state of tranquillity. New factions arose in a few years, and the Guelphs, divided into the two opposite parties of the Bianchi and Neri, combated among themselves with as much fury as when opposed to their former political anta gonists. These wars were carried on with various suc cess, until the Neri, assisted by Charles of Valois, suc ceeded in expelling the Bianchi, who where thus forced to join with the Ghibellines, their brethren in exile.
The expedition of the emperor Henry of Luxemburg into Italy in 1310, revived the drooping spirits of the impe rial faction, while, from the distinguished part Florence held among his opponents, it gave to that republic a much higher place in the scale of the Italian states than it had hitherto held. In fact, after this period, the history of Flo rence is so much involved in that of the revolutions of Ita ly, that it becomes impossible even to narrate the changes of its internal policy, without entering largely into the ge neral history of the times; and we must therefore close this article by again referring our readers to the articles ITALY, TUSCANY, MEDICI, icc. (E. J.)