Guelphs and Ghibellines: A Short History of Mediaeval Italy from 1250-1409

Oscar Browning (1837 - 1923)

The High Middle Ages in Italy, 1250-1409, were a time of incessant strife between rival city-states, some the Ghibelline allies of the Holy Roman Empire, others joining forces with the Guelph armies of the Papacy. Mercenary captains led hired bands of soldiers of fortune. These captains sometimes became great despots, ruling the very cities that had engaged them. Florence began her ascent. The terrible Visconti dominated Milan, and Genoa established a vast trading empire, only to suffer defeat and decline when her fleet was destroyed by Venice, the Queen of the Adriatic. (Summary by Pamela Nagami, M.D.)

Genre(s): Middle Ages/Middle History

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 01 Ch. 1: Introduction--Frederick Barbarossa--Innocent III--Frederick II Pamela Nagami
00:25:51
Play 02 Ch. 2: Guelphs and Ghibellines--Ezzelino da Romano--Early Venice Pamela Nagami
00:25:04
Play 03 Ch. 3: Charles of Anjou--Manfred--Conradin--Sicilian Vespers Pamela Nagami
00:24:57
Play 04 Ch. 4: Pisa and Genoa, Constitution of Florence--Pope Celestine V Pamela Nagami
00:26:16
Play 05 Ch. 5: Blacks and Whites--Charles of Valois--Removal of Popes to Avignon Pamela Nagami
00:20:57
Play 06 Ch. 6: Adolf of Nassau--Henry of Luxemburg--Venice Pamela Nagami
00:24:50
Play 07 Ch. 7: Castruccio Pamela Nagami
00:25:00
Play 08 Ch. 8: King John of Bohemia--Mastino della Scala, Pt. 1 Pamela Nagami
00:16:56
Play 09 Ch. 8: King John of Bohemia--Mastino della Scala, Pt. 2 Pamela Nagami
00:11:11
Play 10 Ch. 9: The Duke of Athens--Joanna of Naples--Rienzi, Pt. 1 Pamela Nagami
00:13:27
Play 11 Ch. 9: The Duke of Athens--Joanna of Naples--Rienzi, Pt. 2 Pamela Nagami
00:14:18
Play 12 Ch. 10: The Black Death--Lewis of Hungary--Genoa and Venice--Marino Faliero, Pt. 1 Pamela Nagami
00:15:53
Play 13 Ch. 10: The Black Death--Lewis of Hungary--Genoa and Venice--Marino Faliero, Pt. 2 Pamela Nagami
00:11:01
Play 14 Ch. 11: The Visconti--Cardinal Albornoz--Death of Rienzi--Emperor Charles IV, Pt. 1 Pamela Nagami
00:15:42
Play 15 Ch. 11: The Visconti--Cardinal Albornoz--Death of Rienzi--Emperor Charles IV, Pt. 2 Pamela Nagami
00:12:56
Play 16 Ch. 12: The Mercenaries, Perugia and Siena--Florence and Pisa--Urban V, Charles IV, and Gregory XI, Pt. 1 Pamela Nagami
00:14:10
Play 17 Ch. 12: The Mercenaries, Perugia and Siena--Florence and Pisa--Urban V, Charles IV, and Gregory XI, Pt. 2 Pamela Nagami
00:19:56
Play 18 Ch. 13: The Visconti--The Great Schism--Revolution of the Ciompi at Florence, Pt. 1 Pamela Nagami
00:13:37
Play 19 Ch. 13: The Visconti--The Great Schism--Revolution of the Ciompi at Florence, Pt. 2 Pamela Nagami
00:13:39
Play 20 Ch. 14: Queen Johanna of Naples--The War of Chioggia--The Peace of Turin Pamela Nagami
00:17:54
Play 21 Ch. 15: Gïan Galeazzo Visconti--Ladislaus--The Council of Pisa, Pt. 1 Pamela Nagami
00:18:43
Play 22 Ch. 15: Gïan Galeazzo Visconti--Ladislaus--The Council of Pisa, Pt. 2 Pamela Nagami
00:21:08