Page 60 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

58  I n T r ODuc I n G IT AL y

The Late Middle Ages

Old feuds between pope and emperor thrived throughout
the 14th century, kept alive by two warring factions –
the Guelphs, who backed the papacy, and the Ghibellines,
who favoured Imperial power. The cities of Lombardy and
Tuscany used the political confusion to grow in strength.
It was against this turbulent backdrop that a great new
age in painting was inspired by artists such as Duccio Italy in 1350
and Giotto. Also at this time the Florentine poets Dante Papal States
and Petrarch laid the foundations of Italian literature. Holy Roman Empire
Angevin Kingdom of Naples
The campanile or
bell tower
Medieval Town Square A griffin, symbol
Throughout central Italy, the town of Perugia
square was an expression of civic
pride and independence. Towns,
such as Perugia (see pp356–7),
tried to overshadow their rivals in
the splendour of their town halls.
The centre of Perugia has changed
little since the 14th century, when
the town’s main rival was Siena.
Condottieri
Cities paid condottieri, leaders
of bands of mercen aries, to fight
their wars. Siena hired Guidoriccio
da Fogliano, seen here in a
fresco by Simone Martini (1330).
The main chamber of the town hall,
the Sala dei Notari, is decorated with
the coats of arms of Perugia’s mayors.

The Fontana
Maggiore was
begun in 1275
and includes
panels by
Dante’s Inferno Nicola Pisano.
One of the harshest punishments in Prominently
Dante’s vision of hell is reserved for placed, it is an
corrupt popes, such as Boniface VIII emblem of the
(reigned 1294–1303), who are town’s wealth.
placed upside down in fiery pits.
1296 Work begins on 1310 Work 1339 Simon Boccanegra
1282 Sicilian Vespers; the Duomo in Florence 1309–43 Reign begins on Palazzo becomes first doge of
uprising against French of Robert the Ducale in Venice Genoa; Giovanna I 1347–9 The Black Death
rule in Palermo; 2,000 1298 Marco Polo returns Wise of Naples Queen of Naples
French soldiers killed from China to Venice 1313 Birth of Boccaccio
1275 1300 1325
1282 Peter of Aragon lands 1304 Birth 1321 Dante completes
at Trapani, conquers Sicily and of Petrarch 1309 Clement V La Divina Commedia
is crowned king in Palermo moves papacy and dies the same year
to Avignon 1347 Cola di Rienzo tries to
The poet and scholar Petrarch 1337 Death of Giotto re-establish Roman Republic

058-059_EW_Italy.indd 58 20/03/15 10:59 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Starsight history template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1)
Date 26th July 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm