Guelphs and Ghibellines facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wars of the Guelphs and Ghibellines |
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.jpg) A 14th-century conflict between the militias of the Guelph and Ghibelline factions in the comune of Bologna, from the Croniche of Giovanni Sercambi of Lucca |
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| Guelphs
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Ghibellines
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 Guido da Landriano2nd phase
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.svg){kind=small} Emperor Frederick I2nd phase
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The Guelphs and Ghibellines were two big groups, or factions, in medieval Italy. They fought for power in the Italian city-states of Central Italy and Northern Italy.
The Guelphs supported the Pope, who was the head of the Catholic Church. The Ghibellines supported the Holy Roman Emperor, who was a powerful ruler in Europe. This rivalry was a huge part of Italian politics during the 12th and 13th centuries. The fight between the Pope and the Emperor started with the Investiture Controversy in 1075. This conflict was about who had the right to choose important church leaders like bishops. It ended in 1122 with the Concordat of Worms.
Contents
History of the Guelphs and Ghibellines
How the Conflict Began
The fight between Guelphs and Ghibellines started because of the Investiture Controversy. This was a big argument about whether kings or the Pope should pick church leaders. When Emperor Henry V died, a new emperor, Lothair III, was chosen. He was not from Henry's family, the Hohenstaufens.
The Hohenstaufens were unhappy about this. Lothair III then sided with the Pope, giving up some imperial rights. This led to war in Germany between those who supported the Hohenstaufens and those who supported Lothair and the Pope. After Lothair died, Conrad III from the Hohenstaufen family became emperor. But Lothair's family, the House of Welf, kept fighting.
The name Guelph comes from the Welf family. They used it as a battle cry in 1140 during a fight. Their rivals, the Hohenstaufens, used "Wibellingen" as their cry. This name later became Ghibellino in Italian.
So, the Hohenstaufen supporters became known as the Ghibellines. The Welf supporters became known as the Guelphs. The Ghibellines were the Emperor's party, and the Guelphs supported the Pope.
These names likely came to Italy when Frederick Barbarossa was Emperor. When Frederick tried to expand his power in Italy, his supporters were called Ghibellines. The Lombard League and its allies fought against the Emperor to protect their cities' freedom. They became known as Guelphs.
Generally, Guelphs were rich merchants and city dwellers. Ghibellines were often noblemen who owned large farms. Guelph cities were usually in areas where the Emperor was a bigger threat than the Pope. Ghibelline cities were in areas where the Pope's power was a bigger worry. The Lombard League beat Frederick at the Battle of Legnano in 1176. Frederick then allowed the cities of the Lombard League to be mostly independent, but still under his rule.
This division became very important in Italian politics. It continued even after the main fight between the Emperor and the Pope ended. Smaller cities often became Ghibelline if a larger nearby city was Guelph. For example, Guelph Republic of Florence and Ghibelline Republic of Siena fought at the Battle of Montaperti in 1260. Pisa was strongly Ghibelline against its rivals, Guelph Republic of Genoa and Florence.
Sometimes, cities chose a side based on local reasons. Within cities, different groups or neighborhoods might support different sides. A city could even change its allegiance after internal conflicts. Sometimes, Ghibelline cities even allied with the Pope, and Guelph cities faced punishment from the Church.
People didn't use the terms Guelph and Ghibelline much until about 1250. Even then, they were mostly used in Tuscany. In other areas, people preferred "church party" or "imperial party."
Conflicts in the 13th and 14th Centuries
At the start of the 13th century, Philip of Swabia (a Hohenstaufen) and Otto of Brunswick (a Welf) fought to become Emperor. The Ghibellines supported Philip, and the Guelphs supported Otto. Otto became Emperor, but he soon turned against the Pope. He was removed from power and replaced by Philip's relative, Emperor Frederick II.
Frederick II was an enemy of both Otto and the Pope. During his rule, the Guelphs became even more closely linked to the Pope. The Ghibellines strongly supported the Empire and Frederick. Pope Gregory IX removed Frederick II from the Church twice. Once for not going on a Crusade, and again for going on a Crusade while excommunicated. While Frederick was away, his representative in Italy fought a war with the Pope. The war ended in 1230, but the bad feelings remained.
In 1237, Frederick brought a large army to Italy. He wanted to control the rebellious cities of the Lombard League. Pope Gregory tried to make peace, but it failed. Frederick defeated the League at Cortenuova. He refused their peace offers. He then attacked Brescia, but was forced back.
In 1239, Pope Gregory removed Frederick from the Church again. In response, Frederick kicked out the Franciscan and Dominican friars from Lombardy. He made his son Enzo his representative in Italy. He also took over more lands, including parts of the Papal States. He marched towards Rome, hoping to capture it. He had to retreat, but he sacked the city of Benevento. Soon, the Ghibelline city of Ferrara fell. Frederick advanced again, capturing Ravenna and Faenza.
The Pope called a meeting, but an Imperial-Pisan fleet defeated a Papal fleet carrying important church leaders in the Battle of Giglio. Frederick continued marching towards Rome. Pope Gregory died soon after. Frederick, seeing the war was against the Church, not just the Pope, pulled back his forces. He released two cardinals. However, Frederick marched against Rome many times in 1242 and 1243.
A new Pope, Innocent IV, was chosen. At first, Frederick was happy because Innocent had relatives who supported the Empire. But the new Pope immediately turned against Frederick. When the city of Viterbo rebelled, the Pope supported the Guelphs. Frederick quickly marched to Italy and attacked Viterbo.
The Pope signed a peace treaty, and the city was relieved. After the Emperor left, a cardinal named Raniero Capocci, who led Viterbo, had the imperial soldiers killed. The Pope made another treaty but broke it right away. He continued to support the Guelphs. The Pope even tried to have Frederick killed. When this failed, the Pope fled to Liguria.
Soon, things went badly for the imperial side. The Lombard city of Parma rebelled. Enzo, who was not there, asked his father for help. Frederick and Ezzelino III da Romano, a ruler from Verona, attacked the city. The imperial camp was surprised by the Guelphs. In the Battle of Parma, the imperial forces were defeated and lost much of their treasure.
Frederick retreated and gathered another army. But Parma's resistance encouraged other cities to rebel. Frederick could not stop them. Things got worse for the Ghibellines when they were defeated by the Bolognese in the Battle of Fossalta. Enzo was captured and stayed in prison until he died. Although the Ghibellines started to recover, defeating the Guelphs in the Battle of Cingoli, Frederick became ill. Before he died, his son Conrad IV recovered much of his land, bringing a few years of peace to Italy.
After Frederick II died in 1250, the Ghibellines were supported by Conrad IV and later King Manfred of Sicily. The Guelphs were supported by Charles I of Naples. The Ghibellines from Siena famously defeated the Florentine Guelphs at the Battle of Montaperti in 1260. After the Hohenstaufen family lost the Empire when Charles I executed Conrad V in 1268, the terms Guelph and Ghibelline became more about individual families and cities, rather than just the fight between the Emperor and the Pope.
At that time, the Ghibellines in Italy were strongest in the city of Forlì. This city stayed Ghibelline to keep its independence, even though it was technically part of the Papal States. Over the years, the Pope tried many times to control Forlì, sometimes with force.
The division between Guelphs and Ghibellines was very important in Florence. Both sides often rebelled against each other and fought for power in many northern Italian cities. Basically, the two sides were now fighting either against German influence (Guelphs) or against the Pope's worldly power (Ghibellines). In Florence, Guelphs usually included merchants and city people. Ghibellines tended to be noblemen. They even had special customs, like wearing a feather on a certain side of their hats.
The fight between Guelphs and Ghibellines was also clear in the Republic of Genoa. There, Guelphs were called "rampini" (grappling hooks) and Ghibellines were called "mascherati" (masked). Genoese families like Fieschi and Grimaldi usually sided with the Guelphs. The Doria and some Spinola families were Ghibellines. Genoa was often ruled by Guelphs in the early 13th century. But in 1270, Ghibellines Oberto Spinola and Oberto Doria rebelled. They started a shared government that lasted about twenty years. Guelph families fled to their strongholds. They were forced to stop fighting after several military campaigns. They were allowed back into Genoese politics after paying for war costs.
White and Black Guelphs
After the Guelphs in Tuscany finally defeated the Ghibellines in 1289, they started fighting among themselves. By 1300, the Florentine Guelphs split into two groups: the Black Guelphs and the White Guelphs. The Blacks continued to support the Pope. The Whites were against the Pope's influence, especially that of Pope Boniface VIII. The famous poet Dante supported the White Guelphs. In 1302, he was sent away from Florence when the Black Guelphs took control.
Some people were not connected to either side. They thought both factions were not worth supporting. But they were still affected by the power changes in their cities. Emperor Henry VII was disgusted by both sides when he visited Italy in 1310.
In 1325, the Guelph city of Bologna and the Ghibelline city of Modena fought in the War of the Bucket. Modena won the Battle of Zappolino. This helped the Ghibellines regain some power. In 1334, Pope Benedict XII threatened to remove anyone from the Church who used the Guelph or Ghibelline names.
Later History of the Factions
The term Ghibelline continued to mean support for the Emperor's weakening power in Italy. It saw a brief return during the Italian trips of Emperors Henry VII (1310) and Louis IV (1327).
Since the Pope gave Sicily (Southern Italy) to the French prince Charles I of Anjou, the Guelphs also became pro-French. Even in the 16th century, Ghibellines like the Colonna family fought for Emperor Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. Guelphs like the Orsini and Este families still fought for the French.
During the time when the Pope lived in Avignon, France, Pope John XXII sided with the French-allied King John of Bohemia. He removed Emperor Louis IV from the Church in 1324. He also threatened to accuse Ghibellines of heresy. The Ghibellines then supported Louis' invasion of Italy. They also supported his crowning as King of Italy and Holy Roman Emperor.
In Milan, Guelphs and Ghibellines worked together to create the Golden Ambrosian Republic in 1447. But over the next few years, they had intense arguments. After the Ghibellines first led, the Guelphs took power. The Guelph government became very strict. This led to a Ghibelline plot led by Giorgio Lampugnino. It failed, and many Ghibellines were killed in 1449.
Others fled, including the important Ghibelline Vitaliano I Borromeo. He found shelter in his home area. Public opinion turned against the Guelphs. In the next elections, the Ghibellines won briefly. But they were removed after they imprisoned Guelph leaders. After Francesco I Sforza became Duke of Milan in 1450, many Ghibellines who had fled were given important positions again.
In the 15th century, the Guelphs supported Charles VIII of France when he invaded Italy. This was at the start of the Italian Wars. The Ghibellines supported Emperor Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor. Cities and families used the names until Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor firmly established imperial power in Italy in 1529.
During the Italian Wars from 1494 to 1559, the political situation changed so much. The old division between Guelphs and Ghibellines became outdated. This is clear with the election of Pope Paul V (1605). He was the first Pope to have the "Ghibelline" imperial eagle on his Papal coat of arms.
Modern Aftermath
On March 25, 2015, the Parte Guelfa (Guelph Party) was re-established. It became a Christian order and group to serve the Catholic Church and the Catholic Archdiocese of Florence. The Mayor of Florence set up the headquarters of the reborn Guelph Party in the historic Palazzo di Parte Guelfa in the city.
City Allegiances in Italy
| Main Ghibelline Cities | Main Guelph Cities | Cities That Changed Sides |
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Symbols in Heraldry
Some families showed their side in their coats of arms. They added a special "chief" (a horizontal band at the top of the shield). Guelphs had a capo d'Angiò or "chief of Anjou." This had yellow fleurs-de-lys on a blue background, with a red "label" (a small band). Ghibellines had a capo dell'impero or "chief of the empire." This showed a black German imperial eagle on a gold background.
Families also showed their side through their buildings. Ghibelline buildings had "swallow-tailed" merlons (the top parts of castle walls). Guelph buildings had square merlons.
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Coat of arms of an Italian family with Ghibelline (Imperial) style heraldic chief at top
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Coat of arms of the Roberti family of Reggio, with Guelph (Anjou) style heraldic chief at top
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Ghibelline swallow-tailed merlons of the "Casa di Romeo", of the Montecchi family of Verona.
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Flags and Banners
During the 12th and 13th centuries, Ghibelline cities often used the war banner of the Holy Roman Empire. This was a white cross on a red background. Guelph armies usually used the opposite colors: a red cross on a white background. These two flag designs are still common in the symbols of northern Italian towns. They show which side the towns supported in the past.
Cities that were traditionally Ghibelline, like Pavia, Novara, Como, Treviso, and Asti, still use the Ghibelline cross. The Guelph cross can be seen on the flags of traditionally Guelph towns like Milan, Vercelli, Alessandria, Padua, Reggio, and Bologna.
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Guelph flag
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Ghibelline flag
In Art and Popular Culture
In Literature
- In Dante Alighieri's Inferno (1300s), people involved in the conflict are shown. For example, Mosca dei Lamberti is in hell for causing division.
- Valperga (1823) by Mary Shelley is a historical novel. It is about the Guelph and Ghibelline conflict. The main character, Castruccio Castracani, is a Ghibelline. His love, the Duchess of Valperga, is a Guelph.
- In Christ Stopped at Eboli (1945), Carlo Levi compares the local people to the Guelphs and Ghibellines.
In Film
- The Flame and the Arrow (1950) is a movie starring Burt Lancaster. It is set during the Guelph and Ghibelline era in 12th century Lombardy.
- Barbarossa (2009) stars Rutger Hauer. It is set during the fights between Guelphs and Ghibellines, especially during the Battle of Legnano.
In Music
- Riccardo Zandonai's opera Francesca da Rimini (early 1900s) includes a battle between the Guelphs and Ghibellines.
See also
In Spanish: Güelfos y gibelinos para niños
- Cæsaropapism
- Guelph, Ontario
- Hierocracy (medieval)
- Royal Guelphic Order
