History
of the city of Florence
Alex Willard
In the entire scope of history there
are few civilizations that have left their own unique imprint upon the rest of
the world as well as influencing future generations like the city of Florence. Only a handful of nations can claim the
cultural, financial, social, and artistic accomplishments that this city
can. Throughout the history of
approximately three thousand years Florence has proven to be an impressively
resilient civilization that takes pride in itself and has been a leader in
Italy and worldwide. From the founding
Etruscan people, to Dante and Boccaccio, to the
Medici family the Florentine people have proven themselves to be remarkable in
many areas of life. This paper will
trace the different stages of the Florentine civilization from its foundations,
to its emergence from the Middle Ages, to the period of the Renaissance, and
finally to its transition to become part of the nation of Italy.
Early
Florence
The first people to settle the area
that was to become Florence were the Etruscans who probably arrived
around 1,000 B.C. by sea from Asia
Minor.[i] Current day archeologists and historians
think fighting was common to the area because the Etruscans settled in walled
cities built on high, unapproachable hills which would be hard to attack. Fiesole was one such city which was conquerored by the Romans around 300 B.C. along with the
surrounding areas. As is turned out,
this defeat was beneficial to the native people because it provided secure
trade routes protected by the Roman military.
The ability to travel and trade more freely prompted these people to
move their civilization to the banks of the Arno River not far from the site of modern day Florence.[ii] However, when civil war broke out in the
region the Etruscans sided against Sulla, the eventual victor, and in 82 B.C.
in order to make an example for other civilizations Sulla completely wiped out
the pre-Roman Florence.[iii] When the city was rebuilt, partly as a result
of widespread civic restorations commissioned by Julius Caesar in 59 B.C., it
was moved farther down the river onto the site that the Florence currently sits, and given the name of Fiorentia.[iv] By 150 A.D., Fiorentia
had religious and political centers, an amphitheater, baths, and walls to
protect the city. The next significant,
recorded event was the spread of Christianity to Florence by eastern Mediterranean traders, and the
condemnation of pagan religion in the beginning of 5th century A.D. Florence.[v] During the next five hundred years of
Florentine history it was similar to most other small European towns in the
Middle Ages in that the population declined, public buildings were left to
decay, and the economy was weakened as a result of a decline in trade.[vi] Florence was under the Germanic peoples’ rule,
commonly known as the Holy
Roman Empire, from
962 with the crowning of Otto to the death of the great Fredrick II in 1250.[vii] However, despite the accomplishments of the Holy Roman Empire in other parts of the world, little was
done to help Florence.
Pre-Renaissance
Florence
Florentine
civilization started to flourish and emerge from the uniformity of the Middle
Ages around the end of the 12th century. It was during this time that trade was
revived, people living outside the city walls were incorporated more into local
culture, and population increased to the second largest in Europe behind Paris.[viii] As a result of these developments, in 1173 a
plan for a new set of walls was approved that was three times the size of the
old Roman wall.[ix] Shortly after, in 1206, the Banker’s Guild
was established and was the first of the many economic guilds, comparable to a
corporate association, in Florence. As historian R.W.B.
Lewis noted, “There is no question that the guilds were the source of stability
and continuity in 13th century Florence and later, forming a vital bureaucracy . .
. that held the society together and kept the economy expanding while”
different factions in society fought for power.[x] In fact, the Florentine economy was booming, based
on luxury goods like leather and international banking. The people of Florence took great pride in their merchandise and
in their city. As a result of a
prosperous economy and civic pride, the first gold florin was made in 1252, and
soon became the standard currency throughout Europe.[xi]
Renaissance
Florence
The
prosperity of 13th century Florentine culture and economy proved to
be the catalyst that sparked the coming Renaissance which would set all of Europe on fire.
In fact, in 1300, Pope Boniface VIII stated that in addition, “To the
four elements of earth, water, air, and fire, he declared he added a fifth one,
the Florentines, ‘who seem to rule the world’”.[xii] A declaration like this from someone as high
in power and influence as the pope is an obvious indicator of the degree to
which the Florentine civilization was respected and admired in the world. Also, in the 13th century the
population of Florence nearly doubled, and by the 1330’s it had
reached one hundred thousand people.[xiii] It is worth noting as well that the Florence of the 14th century was, “Famous
and important not for its culture or its beauty, but for its commerce . . .
[like] money and textiles, especially woolen clothes”.[xiv] The Florentine people harnessed the power of
the Arno River to aid in the production of textiles that
helped make their economy strong.[xv] However, despite the economic boom of the
period there was constant fighting between factions of society, mainly the Ghibellines, pro-Holy Roman Emperor versus the Guelphs, pro-papacy, who eventually won and split in half
and continued fighting. Even though it
sounds contradictory, some suggest it was the years of fighting that steered Florence to becoming a European power because it
illustrated the modern split of politics and economics. In other words, even though Florence was not at peace it still had a strong
economy so that as long as goods and money kept being exchanged no one cared
who was fighting.[xvi] The 14th century did not bring all
good times and in addition to a devastating fire in 1304, and a flood in 1333,
the Black Plague infested Florence along with the rest of Europe in 1348.[xvii] The Black Plague killed around three-fifth’s
of Florence’s population, which was around sixty
thousand people.[xviii] One response to the Black Plague was The Decameron written by Florence native Boccaccio,
which is still regarded as one of the preeminent works of literary art during
the Renaissance. One possible
consequence of the Black Plague was the legalization of slavery in 1364 as a
result of the significant decrease in labor supply.[xix] The 15th century brought about
magnificent artists such as Boticelli, Ghiberti, Brunelleschi, and Donatello along with important economic achievements. In addition to the catasto
of 1427, which was possibly the first ever income based tax, Florence began to grow stronger in international
economics.[xx] By the middle of the 1400’s the Medici family
began to emerge as a major power as they accrued banks throughout Europe and
eventually expanded to become one of the most influential families not only in
Florence, but in Italy and even throughout Europe. As a result of the Medici’s international
banking success, the florin, the currency of Florence, came to be the, “Accepted coin of every
European realm”.[xxi] Another byproduct of the Medici prosperity
was their patronage of great artists like Brunelleschi,
Alberti, and Donatello who
served to cultivate Florentine society and create many of the pieces of art Florence is famous for.[xxii] As a result of their success, generation
after generation of Medici’s would come to rule Florence like Cosimo and
Lorenzo the Magnificent. The Medici were
briefly thrown out of Florence in 1494, but came back as strong and powerful as
ever in 1512.[xxiii]
The
Medici’s
The Medici’s power was not restrained
only to Florence, but went throughout Italy and Europe as Giovanni de’ Medici became the Pope Leo
X in 1513, the first Florentine Pope.[xxiv] The Medici’s can also be linked to the naming
of America as it was traveler Amerigo
Vespucci, working for the Medici company in Spain, whom America was named after.[xxv] Another notable person from this time period
in Florentine history is Machiavelli who is most famous for his book The
Prince, but who also wrote a history of Florence commissioned by Cardinal Giulio de’ Medici, the future Pope Clement VII.[xxvi] Rome was sacked in May of 1527, the Medici were
overthrown, and were replaced in Florence by a republican government.[xxvii] However, shortly afterwards the condottiere,
or ruler, of Florence made a backroom deal with the pope, the Medici’s power
was reinstated in 1531 and Alessandro, the probable illegitimate son of Pope
Clement VII was made ruler of Florence.[xxviii] Alessandro was assassinated in 1537 and the
teenager Cosimo took over and would rule Florence during a very prosperous period until his
death in 1574.[xxix] Cosimo was a very
tyrannical ruler, but he also founded two academies for literary and visual
arts.[xxx] Although Cosimo was
a despotic ruler, “ The final proof of how acceptable to Florence was his form of autocracy lies in the
permanence of its establishment.
Unchallenged, his dynasty ruled there for two complete centuries, ending
only with the cessation of direct male heirs”.[xxxi] During this time from 1533 to 1572 the
production of goods such as woolen cloth increased significantly.[xxxii] This increase in productivity led to an
industrial boom in Italy during the latter part of the 16th
century.[xxxiii] The 17th century was a relatively
calm and uneventful period in Florentine history and the only notable
occurrences were the increased appeal in the opera, and spurts of financial
decline.[xxxiv] By the beginning of the 1700’s the major
cities of Italy such as Florence, Naples, and Venice had to rely more and more
on tourism than manufactured goods, and regional states were immovably rooted
in Italian society.[xxxv] The last Medici ruler died in 1737 ending two
centuries of their uninterrupted reign over Florence.
Years
in between: 1737-March 15, 1860
The most important post-Medici and
pre-Italian unification Florentine ruler was Pietro Leopoldo, the Grand Duke of Tuscanny. Although the years of his rule were not
highlighted by artistic triumphs like the Medici’s they are still notable for
numerous reasons. First of all, he
abolished the death penalty and torture that were both important human rights
accomplishments for the time.[xxxvi] Next, he made the city more open than ever to
average citizens when he opened up the renowned Biboli
gardens to the public.[xxxvii] Also, he was in charge of the endeavor to
beautify the city in an effort to make it more tourist friendly, and he
succeeded in that tourism numbers increased steadily throughout the
1700’s. Overall, Leopoldo
made improvements to Florence in an effort to, “Reform and revitalize [Florence] so that it became an efficient, financially
solvent, commercially viable, civilized state”.[xxxviii] After Leopoldo, Florence was briefly invaded by French, Napoleonic
troops who pillaged and plundered many of Florence’s artistic treasures. Next, Florence was governed by women from 1808-1814, and
then by Leopoldo II until he was kicked out during
the widespread European revolutions of 1848.[xxxix] Florence went through a couple of rulers afterwards,
but on March 15, 1860,
Florence became a part of the newly united nation of
Italy.[xl]
A
unified Italy
In the early years of Italy’s formal history Florence was very important to the nation. In fact, in 1865 it became the first capitol
of Italy and as a result the city had to be revamped
in order to accommodate the large influx of government officials alone which would
now call Florence home.[xli] For Florence to suddenly become capitol of the newest
national power in Europe had both its benefits and
consequences. As one historian noted,
“In becoming the capitol in 1865, Florence was pushed into unaccustomed, strong,
political limelight. At once its
physical inadequacies for such a role were expressed. Like some pauper suddenly revealed as heir to
the throne, the city now required dressing up in suitably sumptuous robes”.[xlii] Florence would be forced to make certain changes in
the city such as cleaning up the ghettos, planting more trees, and generally
making it more aesthetically pleasing.
The capitol’s transference from Florence to Rome in 1870 would help to further Florence’s prosperity because more people focused on
its Renaissance history.[xliii] By the end of the 1800’s it had established
itself not only as one of Europe’s most cultural, scholarly, and interesting
places but also one of the more visited.[xliv] Florence continued to prosper as a scholarly site up
through the Second World War. However,
as a result of large, burgeoning cities like Milan, Rome, and Paris coming to the forefront throughout Europe, and the trend of newspapers and publishers
to be in those cities the scholars also followed.[xlv]
Despite the fact that Florence is no longer the city is was during the
Renaissance of the late 1800’s, it remains one of Europe’s cities whose cultural ancestry is so rich
that it cannot be forgotten. Florence emerged from its early, warring days to one
of great cultural significance and impacted the world greatly along the
way. In addition to its contribution to
the arts during the Renaissance it produced the Medici family who would become
the popes and kings of France; the currency standard for Europe at the time in the florin; the first
capitol of the nation of Italy. Florence is truly one of the great cities in history
because of all it has given to the world throughout the years.