Tuscany: Florence history

Firenze Short history

The history of the city of Florence began in the first century B.C. with its foundation by the Romans who called it Florentia. The city flourished again in the era of Charlemagne in the Middle Ages when the decadence of the barbaric times had passed. It reached its apex of civilization between the 11th and 15th centuries as a free commune, well balanced between the authority of the Emperors and that of the Popes, overcoming the hardships caused by the internal struggle between Guelphs and Ghibellines.

Medieval Florence

In the 15th century it fell under the Signoria of the Medici who, through territorial expansion, later became Grand Dukes of Tuscany. This was the period known as the Renaissance when the city reached its greatest splendor in the arts, culture, politics and economic power.

In the 18th century, the Grand Duchy of the Medicis was succeeded by that of the Lorraines until 1860 when was Italy was unified under a single kingdom. Florence became part of it as its capital from 1865 to 1871. Florence is now the regional capital of Tuscany.

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Courtesy of firenzeturismo.it Azienda per il Turismo di Firenze