toutly
his claim to Naples above the claim of Charles, the Count of Anjou, who
held it as fief of the Papacy. Then Conradin dared to throw his glove
among the people, bidding them to carry it to Peter, Prince of Aragon,
as the symbol by which he conveyed the rights of which death alone had
been able to despoil him.

{19}

Chapter II

Dante, the Divine Poet

There were still Guelfs and Ghibellines in 1265, but the old names had
partially lost their meaning in the Republic of Florence, where the
citizens brawled daily, one faction against the other. The nobles had,
nevertheless, a bond with the emperor, being of the same Teutonic
stock, and the burghers often sought the patronage of a very powerful
pope, hoping in this way to maintain their well-loved independence.

But often Guelf and Ghibelline had no interest in anything outside the
walls of Florence. The Florentine blood was hot and rose quickly to
avenge insult. Family feuds were passionately upheld in a community so
narrow and so zealous. If a man jostled another in the street, it was
an excuse for a fight which might end in terrible bloodshed. Fear of
banishment was no restraint to the combatants. The Guelf party would
send away the Ghibelline after there had been some shameful tumult.
Then the _fuori_ (outside) were recalled because their own faction was
in power again, and, in turn, the Guelfs were banished by the
Ghibellines. In 1260 there had even been some talk of destroying the
famous town in Tuscany. Florence would have been razed to the ground
had not a party leader, Farinata degli Uberti, showed unexpected
patriotism which saved her.

Florence had waxed mighty through her commerce, {20} holding a high
place among the Italian cities which had thrown off the feudal yoke and
become republics. Wealth gave the citizens leisure to study art and
literature, and to attain to the highest civilization of a thriving
state. The Italians of that time were the carriers of Europe, and as
such had intercourse with every nation of importance. They were
especially successful as bankers, Florentine citizens of middle rank
acquiring such vast fortunes by finance that they outstripped the
nobles who dwelt outside the gates and spent all their time in
fighting. The guilds of Florence united men of the same trade and also
encouraged perfection in the various branches. Goldsmiths offered
marvellous wares for the purchase of the affluent dilettante. Si