The history of Florence begins with the Etruscans. The Etruscans, coming from Asia Minor, settled in the area where today stands approximately Florence Tuscany, Lazio and Umbria. The first traces of Etruscan civilization dating to the ninth century. a. C. (tomb paintings, urns, tombs, tablets and statues). Valuable collection of Etruscan art are preserved also in Florence, the Museo Archeologico (like the famous bronze of a chimera).
Only in 395 the Etruscan civilization was under Roman influence finally, losing the characteristics peculiar to the original culture. During the years of colonization wrought by Sulla, the Romans founded the town hall in Florence Florentia on the ruins of an ancient Etruscan settlement, the basis for placing a place of refuge and resting place for veterans. With the final defeat of the Etruscans and the establishment of Roman supremacy, thanks to its fortunate position on the Via Cassia and the River Arno, the city became increasingly important as a center of communication and trade for the rich crops of the surrounding area.
Following Florence became a bishopric. The city, after the resistance and surrender to Totila Ostrogoths, King of the Goths, became part of the Duchy of Lucca under the Lombards. Only with the advent of Charlemagne regained prestige and independence, becoming a county. Lothair I made a new feud by bringing together the Florentine territories with those of Fiesole.
Florence got municipal autonomy by the Countess Matilde di Canossa, next to which it was deployed to the city at the time the war of investiture. Following the death of Matilda of Canossa, from 1138, Florence was ruled by a system console. Replaced the scheme with the consular Podesta, Florence was the scene of violent clashes between the Guelphs and Ghibellines since 1215, when Oddo Arrighi was killed by Buondelmonte of Buondelmonti.
The support of the Emperor Frederick II led to the expulsion of the Ghibellines by the Guelphs City (1248). The redemption of the Guelph party, after the death of Frederick II and the support of Charles of Anjou, led to internal divisions within the Guelphs (the Whites led by the family of circles) and Blacks (under the guidance of Donati). The victory of the Blacks, supported by Charles of Valois, led to exile of Dante Alighieri.
In 1378 the tension in the city also produced social confrontations with the revolt of the Ciompi. The Medici family held power in Florence from 1434 to 1737. Starting from the government of Cosimo il Vecchio, the Medici succeeded in leading the city by controlling the political life and supporting the cultural and artistic heritage. Among physicians there were two popes (Julius or Clement VII and Alexander, or Leo X) and a queen of France (Catherine, wife of Henry II). Their domination was opposed by the Pazzi conspiracy (1478) and stopped for a few years after the first (1494-1512) and second (1527-1530) Florentine republic. Among Doctors, stands the figure of Lorenzo the Magnificent, writer, under whose rule Florence enjoyed a period of peace and prosperity, teaching balance of Renaissance culture. Extinction of the Medici dynasty (the last exponent was Anna Maria Luisa), the Grand Duchy of Tuscany (which was created in 1570 by Cosimo I) was inherited by the dukes of Lorraine (Habsburg). Leopold I, the future Emperor of Austria, in 1765 launched a number of social reforms, including abolishing the death penalty.
United to the kingdom of Sardinia, five years after Florence became the capital of Italy. Only with the complete reunification of the peninsula in 1871, Florence lost the role of capital, for Rome. The flood occurred November 4, 1966 is remembered today as one of several disasters that struck the city. The bridges of Florence had already suffered destruction during the Second World War (all except the old bridge collapsed) during the flood that hit Florence in 1966, the water rose more than 6 m on city roads and damage to the artistic were incalculable. |
