The Tuscan Republics: Florence, Siena, Pisa, and Lucca, With Genoa (Classic Reprint) Book

PREFACE. No history of the Italian communes could be considered in any sense complete which disregarded the recent researches of German historians into the origin of these little Republics. The reader .will find the views of Hegc1, Pawinski, and Ficker embodied with as much succinctness as possible in the introduc· tory chapter of this work; and should he desire to penetrate further on his own account into the subject, he would derive much assistance from the four valuable volumes of original documents with copious annotations, published by Ficker. As regards Florence alone, and from one point of view, Florence must always be the most interesting of the Italian Republics, articles of extreme interest on the beginnings of the commune have been contributed to the "Nuova Antologia," by Professor Pasquale Villari, and form, it may be hoped, the prelude to a larger work. As an example of sudden spontaneous. growth, yielding original and splendid social results, the ItTable of Contents CONTENTS; I; PAGE; INTRODUCTORY 1-10; Small beginnings-Imperial Concessions-Commencement; of the Trade Guilds-Rival Rulers; II; THE UPRISE OF PISA AND GENOA 11-21; Activity of Pisa-Beginning of Faction-Expeditions to the; Holy Land-Splendour of Pisa-Rivalryof Genoa; III; LUCCA AND PISA 22-27; The rise of Lucca-Attack of Pisa on the Balearic IslesFlorentine; chivalry; IV; GENOA; Consuls of the Commune-Feudatories of Genoa; V; How THE COMMUNES GREW; Destruction of Amalfi-Character of the Communes-Genoa; proceeds against the Moors-First appearance of Barbarossa; ix VI; PAGE; THE ORIGIN OF FLORENCE 43-56; Obscurity of its early years-Religious Feuds-Spontaneous; growth of the Commune-Its Democratic basis-Early; struggles between classes-Guilds and Towers; VII; THE TUSCAN COMMUNES AND GENOA IN THE TIME; OF BARBAROSSA 57-62; Their self-seeking Policy-A brief Peace; VIII; THE EXPANSION OF FLORENCE; Discontent among the Barons-Pretensions oRead More