ence to be a defence
against the violence and attacks of the Ghibellines._

[Sidenote: 1250 A.D.]

When the said host came back to Florence there was great contention
amongst the citizens, inasmuch as the Ghibellines, who ruled the land,
crushed the people with insupportable burdens, taxes, and imposts; and
with little to show for it, for the Guelfs were already established up
and down in the territory of Florence, holding many fortresses and
making war upon the city. And besides all this, they of the house of
the Uberti and all the other Ghibelline nobles tyrannized over the
people with ruthless extortion and violence and outrage. Wherefore the
good citizens of Florence, tumultuously gathering together, assembled
themselves at the church of San Firenze; but not daring to remain
there, because of the power of the Uberti, they went and took their
stand at the church of the Minor Friars at Santa Croce, and remaining
there under arms they dared not to return to their homes, lest when
they had laid down their arms they should be broken by the Uberti and
the other nobles and condemned by the magistrates. So they went under
arms to the houses of the Anchioni of San Lorenzo, which were very
strong, and there, still under arms, they forcibly elected thirty-six
corporals of the people, and took away the rule from the Podesta,
which was then in Florence, and removed all the officials. And this
done, with no further conflict they ordained and created a popular
government with certain new ordinances and statutes. They elected
captain of the people M. Uberto da Lucca, and he was the first captain
of Florence, and they elected twelve Ancients of the people, two for
each sesto, to guide the people and counsel the said captain, and they
were to meet in the houses of the Badia over the gate which goes to
Santa Margherita, and to return to their own homes to eat and sleep;
and this was done on the twentieth day of October, the year of Christ
1250. And on this day the said captain distributed twenty standards
amongst the people, giving them to certain corporals divided according
to companies of arms and districts, including sundry parishes, in
order that when need were every man should arm himself and draw to the
standard of his company, and then with the said standards draw to the
said captain of the people. And they had a bell made which the said
captain kept in the Lion's Tower. And the chief standard of the
people, which was the cap