Florence's Republican Constitution: Who Destroyed It?

The Republic of Florence was a powerful and prosperous state during the Italian Renaissance. In 1293, Florence adopted a constitution called the Ordinances of Justice, which barred both the nobility and labourers from political power. The city's political system underwent numerous changes and modifications over the centuries, with various groups and individuals vying for control. In 1480, the Pazzi conspiracy against the powerful Medici family failed, and the Medici retained their hold on Florence. However, in 1494, French armies under King Charles VIII invaded Italy, and the Medici were exiled, leading to the creation of a new republican constitution.

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Girolamo Savonarola's rule and the end of the Medici family's reign

Girolamo Savonarola was an Italian Christian preacher, reformer, and martyr, known for his clash with tyrannical rulers and corrupt clergy. Savonarola came to Florence in the 1480s and, by proclaiming predictions and vigorously preaching, he won the people to his cause.

In 1494, King Charles VIII of France invaded Italy and threatened Florence. Savonarola's prophecies seemed on the verge of fulfillment, and the Florentines expelled the ruling Medicis, establishing a republic under Savonarola's control. Savonarola's rule ushered in democratic reforms and allowed many exiles back into Florence. However, his ulterior goal was to transform Florence into a "city of God". He denounced secular art and culture and called for Christian renewal. Florentines stopped wearing garish colours, and many women took oaths to become nuns. Savonarola became known for his Bonfire of the Vanities, where he ordered all "vanities" to be burned, including wigs, perfume, paintings, and ancient pagan manuscripts.

Savonarola's rule collapsed a year later, in 1497, when he was excommunicated by Pope Alexander VI. The Medici rule was briefly restored in 1512, but they were forced out again in 1527. In 1530, Pope Clement VII, a Medici himself, with the help of soldiers of the Holy Roman Emperor, restored Medici rule, and Florence became a hereditary monarchy.

The end of Medici rule came about due to a combination of factors, including the efforts of Savonarola, who rallied the people against the Medicis, and the invasion of King Charles VIII of France, which led to the expulsion of the Medicis in 1494. However, the Medicis were able to regain power multiple times, and their rule lasted for two centuries, ending only when the last Medici duke of Florence died without a male heir.

The rise of Puritanism and fundamentalist laws

In 1480, the Pazzi conspiracy against the Medicis took place in the Cathedral of Florence, resulting in the death of Guiliano de' Medici. This was a brutal attempt to end the Medici rule in Florence. However, it was not until 1494 that the Medici were actually exiled from Florence, due to the invasion of Italian lands by French armies under King Charles VIII. The popular party in Florence, backed by the French, succeeded in exiling the Medici and declaring Florence a republic.

This new republic was led by Girolamo Savonarola, a fiery Dominican preacher who condemned the luxury and urbane culture of his predecessors. Savonarola's sermons played a crucial role in shaping the political landscape of Florence. He advocated for democratic reforms and encouraged the maintenance and expansion of the Grand Council, which became a cornerstone of the republican constitution. Savonarola's rule, however, had a fundamentalist and puritanical bent. He aimed to transform Florence into a ""city of God", and his infamous "Bonfire of the Vanities" saw the burning of "vanities" such as wigs, perfume, paintings, and ancient pagan manuscripts. Florentines stopped wearing garish colours, and many women took oaths to become nuns.

The return of the Medici family and the loss of Florence's autonomy

The Medici family was a powerful Italian family that ruled Florence and Tuscany during most of the period from 1434 to 1737. They were originally a Tuscan peasant family from the village of Cafaggiolo in the Mugello region, north of Florence. Over time, they became aware of the new opportunities afforded by commerce and emigrated to Florence, where they gradually became one of the wealthy and notable families of the city.

The Medici family's wealth and influence were derived from the textile trade and their dominance in the wool guild of Florence. They also established the Medici Bank in 1397, which became the largest bank in Europe in the 15th century, further facilitating their rise to political power.

During the first half of the 15th century, the Medici family consolidated their power in the Republic of Florence under Cosimo de' Medici and his grandson Lorenzo "the Magnificent". They controlled the governing council in Florence, known as the Signoria, and became the city's leading family, a position they held for the next three centuries.

Despite their power and influence, the Medici family faced several challenges and were expelled from Florence on multiple occasions. The first exile occurred in 1433-34, followed by another exile from 1494 to 1512. During this period, Giovanni de' Medici, the son of Lorenzo the Magnificent, became a powerful cardinal and worked to restore his family's power. With the support of Pope Julius II, the Medici family returned to Florence in 1512.

However, in 1527, the Medici were once again expelled from Florence during a period of tumult and anti-Medici riots. Pope Clement VII, a member of the Medici family, was imprisoned during the Sack of Rome. The Florentine people took advantage of Clement VII's loss of power to expel the Medici and re-establish a republican government.

The Medici family did not accept this loss of power, and in 1529, Clement VII signed the Treaty of Barcelona with Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. In exchange for the Pope's blessing, Charles V agreed to invade Florence and restore the Medici to power. After a protracted siege, the Medici returned to Florence in 1530.

In 1532, Pope Clement VII convinced Florence's ruling commission to draw up a new constitution, formally creating a hereditary monarchy. This new constitution abolished the age-old elective government and replaced it with new institutions, solidifying the Medici family's rule and marking the end of Florence's autonomy.

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The creation of a hereditary monarchy

In 1293, Florence adopted a constitution called the Ordinances of Justice, which barred both the nobility and labourers from political power. It also provided for frequent changes of office to ensure that no group or individual could gain control of the state. This constitution was the foundation of the Florentine Republic during the Italian Renaissance.

In 1494, shortly after the death of Lorenzo de' Medici, French armies under King Charles VIII invaded Italy. They were backed by the popular party in Florence, which succeeded in exiling the Medici family and declaring Florence a republic once more. Girolamo Savonarola, a Dominican preacher, led this new republic and condemned the luxury and urbane culture of his predecessors. Savonarola's rule, however, collapsed a year later, and he was excommunicated by Pope Alexander VI in 1497.

After the fall of Savonarola, Florence was embroiled in a war with Pisa, which had been de facto independent since King Charles VIII's invasion. During this tumultuous period, the Medici family returned to Florence in 1512 with the support of papal and Spanish armies, reasserting their power ruthlessly.

In 1530, Alessandro de' Medici was installed as the "Duke of the Florentine Republic". Subsequently, Pope Clement VII convinced Florence's ruling commission, the Balía, to draw up a new constitution, which formally created a hereditary monarchy. This new constitution abolished the age-old elective government and replaced it with three institutions: the consigliere, a four-man council elected for a three-month term, headed by the "Duke of the Florentine Republic"; the Senate, composed of forty-eight men chosen by the Balía, who were responsible for determining Florence's financial, security, and foreign policies; and the governors of Pisa, Arezzio, Prato, Voltera, and Cortona, who were appointed by the Senate.

Thus, the creation of a hereditary monarchy in Florence in 1530 marked a significant shift from the previous republican constitution, centralizing power in the hands of the Medici family and their appointed institutions.

The Ordinances of Justice and the Florentine constitution

The Republic of Florence, officially known as the Florentine Republic, was a medieval and early modern state centred on the Italian city of Florence in Tuscany. The first official mention of the Florentine republic was in 1138, when several cities in Tuscany formed a league against the then-margrave of Tuscany, Duke Henry X of Bavaria. The Florentines formed a commune in Rabodo's (Matilda's successor) successors' place. The republic was ruled by a council known as the Signoria of Florence, chosen by the gonfaloniere (titular ruler of the city), who was elected every two months by Florentine guild members.

The Ordinances of Justice, enacted between 1293 and 1295, were a series of statutory laws directed against particularly influential (aristocratic) families and Ghibelline sympathisers. Those identified as such were barred from holding office, and if they committed certain crimes, their punishment could be doubled. The Ordinances established the government of Florence as being ruled by 12 Priors of the major Guilds, who were chosen through a lottery system. This constitution ensured that the guilds of Florence retained control of the city and that no group or individual could gain control of the state.

The Florentine economy reached its peak in the latter half of the 13th century, and its success was reflected in the building of the Palazzo della Signoria, designed by Arnolfo di Cambio. The city's population continued to grow, reaching 30,000 inhabitants. Several new bridges and churches were built, including the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, which remains one of the best examples of Gothic architecture in Florence.

In the 15th century, the Medici family rose to power in Florence. In 1480, the Eight of Practice, responsible for foreign policy, was created. The Medici rule was briefly interrupted in 1494 when Girolamo Savonarola, a priest from Ferrara, took control of the state. Savonarola's government ushered in democratic reforms, allowing many exiles back into Florence. However, his true goal was to transform Florence into a "city of God", and he became known for his "Bonfire of the Vanities", where he ordered all "vanities" to be burned. Savonarola's rule collapsed a year later, and the Medici family regained power.

In 1527, during the War of the League of Cognac, Florence once again repudiated Medici authority. The Medici reassumed control in 1531 with the help of Emperor Charles V. Pope Clement VII, himself a Medici, appointed his relative Alessandro de' Medici as the first "Duke of the Florentine Republic", thereby transforming the Republic into a hereditary monarchy. The new constitution abolished the age-old signoria and the office of gonfaloniere and replaced them with a four-man council and a senate that determined Florence's policies and appointed governors and ambassadors.

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