Associazione Città Italiane Patrimonio Mondiale UNESCO

Siena was founded by the Etruscans and was a Roman colony at the time of the Emperor Augustus. In Mediaeval times with the Lombards and the Franks, the city began to exercise a certain degree of power. When the last of the Carolingians disappeared towards the end of the 900’s, a power struggle between the clergy and Frankish counts began. Towards the end of the 11th century, the fief was awarded to the clergy by the German emperors. The growing number of middle classes however, who were insisting on their rights, created a conflict of economic interests and this situation led to the weakening and eventual breaking up of feudalism and the formation of free communes.
The period when Sienna was at her zenith was between the 12th and 16th centuries.
During the feuds between the Guelfs and the Ghibellines, the Siennese made a choice based on economics and backed the Ghibellines against the redoubtful Florence. Wealthy businessmen and craftsmen set up a government entrusted to 24 citizens and thus was formed the “Council of Twenty-Four” that brought the city to its full splendour.
Not long after this, tension with Florence led to a new war that saw Sienna defeated. A truce was imposed in 1255 but five years later, Florence was again preparing to destroy Sienna.
The Siennese turned for help to the Swabian king, Manfred who sent his army to assist them. Other groups also came to their aid like the Ghibellines who had fled from Florence and troops sent from Cortona, Lucca and Pisa. The war took place in 1260 and Florence lost.
Sienna, the Ghibelline stronghold, was excommunicated along with all its citizens. Using this as an excuse, many refused to pay debts owed to Siennese businessmen and this led to the collapse of the economy. In 1269, the Colle di Val d’Elsa, with the help of Tuscan Guelfs and Angevine militia declared war upon Sienna and vanquished her. The exiled Guelfs returned to Sienna and abolished the “Council of Twenty-Four” replacing it with their own government. This was the beginning of the “Council of Nine” that rued from 1287 to 1355. This was one of the most peaceful periods in the city’s history and also saw a healthy economic and cultural revival. Thanks to this newfound wealth and tranquillity, many new buildings like the Cathedral, the Baptistery, the Churches of St Francis and St Domenic were built along with the Palazzo Pubblico. Some of the works of this period were by such illustrious artists as Simone Martini, the Lorenzettis, Duccio and many others.
In the near future however, Sienna suffered a myriad of problems. The Buonsignori bank collapsed ruining many families and put the economy in jeopardy. Also to be taken into account was the famine of 1326 and the plague in 1349 that claimed thousands of victims. As if this weren’t enough, discontent among the two social classes excluded from government, the nobles and the working classes, was ever-increasing. In 1355 there was a revolt against the Council of Nine and a government of twelve commoners assisted by a group of twelve nobles was established. Some years later, the city came under the control of the Medici family and later again under the Lorenas.