Age of the Towers: 12-13th C. Italy
            urban civil war

Rise of the Signori or Lords: 13th C. Italy

rule by one family, come to power by force

‘tyrants’:  enemies are 1) rival families
                                          2) republican city governments

ROMAGNA:  east-central Italian province, north of Appenines
                       north of Urbino, includes Ravenna, Bologna
                       power vacuum filled by Ghibelline tyrants

GHIBELLINE TYRANTS: 13th C.

Ezzolino da Romano,     Inf. 12 , Violence & cruelty   
                          Son-in law of Emperor Frederick II
                          Signore of Verona, Padua, Vicenza

Guido da Montefeltro  1220-1298      
             Inf. 27: false counsellors

       Ghibelline condottiere = mercenary captain,  war lord
                  clever stategist, wily ‘a fox, not a lion’

       Signore of Urbino: conquers most of Romagna
                               aids Pisa against Florence

       Boniface VIII  excommunicates Guido
               1296 absolved by Pope, enters Franciscan order
               1298 called  by Pope: war with Roman Colonna family
                        Colonna fortress at Palestrina, SE of Rome
                        Guido advises false counsel:
                                   promise of amnesty, then renege