2015 HUMANITIES FREE-RESPONSE QUESTIONS
Document 2 Geo.
Source: P. Santini, transcriber, “The Arte Della Lana & The Government of Florence” from
Documenti Dell’Antica Costituzione Del Comune Di Firenze 1 (1895)
The following is an excerpt from a journal concerning social restructure in 1224 Florence
Council gathered, according to custom, at the sound of the bell on March 20th in the palace of the Commune of Florence; at which council there were also present at the wish and command of the said Podestà the consuls of the merchants, bankers, of the Arte della Lana, the priors of the crafts, and also twenty men from every sestiere of the city, in which Council it was said, confirmed, and agreed that twelve men should be elected, two from each sestiere, who ought to have full power and authority over all the consuls who were in office when the tower of Semifonte was destroyed, and over all other greater consuls of the city, and over all court officials, castellans, syndics, procurators, and prefects who have been in office from the time of the said consuls up to the first of last January, and over those who have and hold the new and old walls of the city of Florence, and who keep them, and also over those who have and hold the public squares of the Commune wherever they are and who keep them; and over all and each they should have full and free authority to speak, pronounce, and impose (their commands) for clearing the debt of the Commune of Florence; wherefore we, etc., impose, etc. The greater abbey of Florence, i.e., St. Mary’s for 166 fathoms of wall “The Arte Della Lana & The Government of Florence” by P. Santini
SUMMARY: The council in Florence works to plan how they will clear debt. This results in them choosing an electoral oligarchy. The student can state that totalitarian governments made Dante despise such iniquitous institutions and felt they should be punished in the Inferno.
DOC-REF: In P. Santini’s The Arte Della Lana & The Government of Florence, she shows how the government of Florence operates in a near totalitarian manner. (Doc 2).
http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/source/1224artelana.asp