Historic campanilism: Florence caput mundi

During the read of Giovanni Villani(1280-1348), the Story is very exaltation of virtus and courage and strategy skills of citizens of Florence; in fact in year 1117, the citizen of Pisa sailed against Mayorca asked to Florence to protect Pisa, and Florentine citizens made it, and they hanged a citizen that was come in Pisa after the prohibition; this episode may is true, but it is very incredible because Villani is born after 163 years after this moment, and this episode I think that nobody could told to John, that begun his Chronicle from 1307, thereby 190 years after this episode. In 1125 Florence conquered a city this is Fiesole, and in opinion of Villani more strong, this is deserve of Florentine citizens, because it is necessary to exalt to value of citizens, and belittle the citizens of Fiesole because after this compliment, evidently Villani didn’t recognize the contradiction, because he has said and judged Fiesole as a city of brigands and bad people; but whether Fiesole has chiefs bandits Fiesole could not so strong, because the bandits could have sold it to Florence; thereupon it is a told very approximately and tending to exaltation of Florentines and after destroyed it. Exaltation continues with measure of Florence; so what? Nothing certainly but in exaltation of Florence also the measures are valid motive; it is evident also for the narration of humiliation that Roger Borsa duke of Puglia(1060-1111) that to have the reign come to pope Onorio 3th and there he was humiliated with foot on the head, true gesture of submission; thereby about of a king told humiliating condition, but Florence has saved the word with heroic deeds. May this episode told from Villani was famous too because same historical man could hide; in fact he played one part tells the failed of Florentine and other he tells the victory and destruction: “In 1146 the Florentine had war to earl Guidi…and the earl Guide fight and defeated them…but after in 1154 they come back to Montedicroce and to betrayed they conquered it and destroyed it…”. Thereupon we can read a partial history that is very similar at last to wit to Giorgio Vasari(1511-1574), that is similar for the partial adherence to partial preference; in fact in the Lives he exalts the Michelangelo and the Florentine school and the Tuscan artist, but other are considered summary and the artistic schools of Italy are short considered.

Alessandro Lusana