Chapter 9 - Page 2

enterprises, they had a bell called
Martinella, which was rung during a whole month before the forces left
the city, in order that the enemy might have time to provide for his
defense; so great was the virtue then existing among men, and with so
much generosity of mind were they governed, that as it is now
considered a brave and prudent act to assail an unprovided enemy, in
those days it would have been thought disgraceful, and productive only
of a fallacious advantage. This bell was also taken with the army, and
served to regulate the keeping and relief of guard, and other matters
necessary in the practice of war.

With these ordinations, civil and military, the Florentines
established their liberty. Nor is it possible to imagine the power and
authority Florence in a short time acquired. She became not only the
head of Tuscany, but was enumerated among the first cities of Italy,
and would have attained greatness of the most exalted kind, had she
not been afflicted with the continual divisions of her citizens. They
remained under the this government ten years, during which time they
compelled the people of Pistoria, Arezzo, and Sienna, to enter into
league with them; and returning with the army from Sienna, they took
Volterra, destroyed some castles, and led the inhabitants to Florence.
All these enterprises were effected by the advice of the Guelphs, who
were much more powerful than the Ghibellines, for the latter were
hated by the people as well on account of their haughty bearing while
in power, during the time of Frederick, as because the church party
was in more favor than that of the emperor; for with the aid of the
church they hoped to preserve their liberty, but, with the emperor,
they were apprehensive of losing it.

The Ghibellines, in the meantime, finding themselves divested of
authority, could not rest, but watched for an occasion of repossessing
the government; and they thought the favorable moment come, when they
found that Manfred, son of Frederick, had made himself sovereign of
Naples, and reduced the power of the church. They, therefore, secretly
communicated with him, to resume the management of the state, but
could not prevent their proceedings from coming to the knowledge of
the Anziani, who immediately summoned the Uberti to appear before
them; but instead of obeying, they took arms and fortified themselves
in their houses. The people, enraged at this, armed themselves, and
with the assistance of the Guelphs, compelled them to quit the city,
and, with the whole Ghibelline party, withdraw to Sienna. They then
asked assistance of Manfred king of Naples, and by the able conduct of
Farinata degli Uberti, the Guelphs were routed by the king's forces
upon the river Arbia, with so