Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 13.djvu/852

 SIENA

780

SIENA

by Sodoma, Sano di Pietro, Taddeo Bartolo, and others; here also are shovsTi the cell of St. Bernardino of Siena, and the tomb of Pandolfo Petrucci. More distant from Siena are the Certosa di Pontignano, the Abbey of Sant' Eugenio (730), and the monastery of San Galgano (1201).

Of the civic buildings we mention the Palazzo PubbUco (1289), with the Torre del Mangia (102 metres), at the foot of which in the form of a graceful loggia is the Capella di Piazza (1376-1460), adorned with frescoes and sculptures. In the interior of the Palazzo Pubblico, the halls of the ground and first stories (Sala della Pace, del Mappamondo, di Balia) are decorated with frescoes by painters named above and b}' others; the frescoes of the Sala Vittorio Emanuele are modern (Maccari and others). In front of the Palazzo Pubblico extends the great Piazza del Campo, where on the second of July and the fifteenth of August of each year are held the celebrated races — Corse del Palio — which by reason of the gay medley of the riders and their historic costumes attract a great number of strang- ers each year. (Hey wood, "Our Lady of August and the Palio", Siena, 1889). The Fonte Gaia (Joy- ful Fountain) in the public square is the work of Jacopo dellaQuer- cia. Among the private palaces the following are of note: Span- nochi, Casino de' Nobili, Tolomei, Buonsignori, Pic- colomini (the last named contains the public archives). The Monte dei Paschi is perhaps the oldest of all non-charitable houses of credit. It was founded in 1.500, and was reorganized in 16.54, when the pastures (paschi) of the Maremma, from which it derives its name, were assigned it in guise of securities.

In ancient times Saena, an Etruscan city, was of no great importance, hence remains of the Etruscan and Roman epochs are rare. It became a Roman colony under Augustus. Under the Lombards it was the seat of two gastaldi (magistrates), one a judge, the other a minister of finance. Under the Carlo- vingians it was made a country, which in 868 became hereditary in the family of Vinigiso Ranieri, which soon in its various branches divided the territory. The power of the bishop increa.sed in consequence, so that in the eleventh and twelfth centuries he was the sole ruler of the city and the surrounding territory, though he recognized the over-lordship of the mar- graves of Tuscany. At the death of Matilda (the last Countess of Tuscany, 1115) a municipal govern- ment already existed, and in 112.5 consuls are first mentioned. Thenceforth the form of govern- ment changed continuously. In the beginning there were three consuls, later there were twelve, the office being restricted to members of noble families. At other tim(« a dictator was named. Through donations, purcha-ses, and conquests, particularly from various petty lords of the Maremma ever plotting against Siena, the territory of the republic in- creased. In its expansion Siena naturally conflicted with Florence. Thus in the struggle for Poggibonzi (1141) the Sicncse won, but were conc|uered by

the Florentines in 1445. The rivalry with Flor- ence consequently determined the politics of Siena, which adhered to the imperial (Ghibelline) party. Nevertheless in 1194 the Sienese repulsed the army of Henry VI, who failed to recognize the privileges accorded the city by his father. This victory in- creased the prestige of the republic, which now en- larged the circuit of its walls. In 1197 it joined the League of San Genesio. In 1199 the common people, wishing to participate in the government, secured the nomination of a podesta (chief magis- trate) for justice and war, although the administra- tion remained in the hands of the consuls of the guilds. A new change occurred in 1212, in which the administration passed to the Provveditori (purveyors) della Biccherna, while the consuls were reduced in rank to simple councillors. In conse- quence the heads of government changed in rapid succession: the Twenty-seven, Twenty-four, Seventy, Thirty-seven. Meanwhile at the battle of Monta- perto (1260) Siena, at the head of the Ghibellines of Tuscany, had humiliated the hated Florence. But in Siena itself the Guelphs, aided by Charles of Anjou, acquired the sovereignty in 1277.

The offices were all bestowed upon Guelphs, who for the most part were required to be merchants. Meanwhile the petty Ghibelline lords of the Maremma laid waste the territory of the republic, despite the mediation of Pope Nicholas III. The Guelph Government of the "Fifteen", instituted in 1282, lasted for seventy years. During this period oc- curred the war against the Bishop of Arezzo, head of the Ghibellines, who was conquered at Pieve al Toppo. Internal discords among the principal famiUes, the recurrence in Siena of the conflicts be- tween the Bianchi (whites) and Neri (blacks), for which the city was excommunicated by Clement V, the seditions of the butchers, doctors, and notaries, fomented by the nobles excluded from the govern- ment, failed to displace the Guelph merchants. It required the Great Pestilence of 1348, with its 30,000 victims in the city, and the advent of Emperor Charles IV to effect a change in the government. In 1355 the nobles and the common people rose in revolt, and instituted a mixed government of twelve plebeians and twelve nobles with four hundred coun- cillors. But this lasted only a short time; in 1368 three changes were effected, and the whole year of 1369 was saddened by revolts and slaughter. The arbitration of Florence was of little avail. To these tumults and constitutional conspiracies within the city was added (1387) the rebellion of Montepulciano, fomented by Florence. A war with Florence arose in consequence, in which the Sienese had as an ally Gian Galeazzo Visconti, proclaimed in 1399 lord of Siena. But in 1404 they deserted Visconti, made peace with Florence, to whom Montepulciano was abandoned, and constituted a new government. From 1407-13 Siena was repeatedly assaulted by King Ladislaus of Naples, on account of its adhesion to the " Conciliabulum " of Pisa. In 1480, (m the accession of new tumults over tlie riglit to parti(upate in the government, Pandolfo Petrucci accjuircd the upper hand, and in 14X7 instituted a new and ab- solute government. Ca-sar Borgia secured the ex- pulsion of Petrucci from Siena; but in 1503 the latter returned, assumed the title of Magnifico (Majcenas of the Arts), and was more powerful than ever. His son Borghese Petrucci, who succeeded him in the signoria, was in 1516 expelled by order of Leo X, who intended to subject Siena to the Medici, hence the enmity that Cardinal Alfonso Petrucci bore him. Clement VII was on the point of proclaiming the Medici as rulers when the victory of Pavia (1525) and succeeding events destroyed his hopes. The Spanish protectorate proved even more severe. Charles V wished to compel the Sienese (1550)