A TIME LINE OF FLORENCE

Before the year 1000

Florence started to grow in 59BC as a result of an agrarian law passed by Julius Caesar who granted land to retired army veterans. Byzantine walls were later added to the city’s Roman walls in 541 AD as protection against the Ostrogoths.

The Lombards took Tuscany in 570 and were late defeated by Charles Magne in the 9 ^th century. Florence became part of the Holy Roman Empire and ruled by the Margrave Princes.

1115 The first city state (comune) is formed, Florence is run by an assembly of 100 people.
1250-60 The Primo Popolo regime runs the city, dominated by Trade Guilds
1296 The building of the Duomo begins under Arnolfo di Cambio
1340s Florence faces economic disaster as Edward III of England bankrupts the Peruzzi and Bardi. The Black Death halves the city’s    population.           
1378 The up rise of Ciompi (wool carders) is the high point of labour unrest
1406 Florence captures Pisa gaining access to the sea
1458 Cosimo de Medici is recognized as ruler of the city
1469 – 92  Lorenzo the Magnificent rules the city
1478 The Pazzi conspire to have Lorenzo and Giuliano murdered in the Duomo. Giuliano is killed but Lorenzo escapes
1494 Charles VIII of France conquers the city, the monk Savonarola takes control of the Florence
1498  Savonarola is burned on the stake and Florence becomes a Republic
1502  Florence conquers Pisa once again
1570   Cosimo I creates the Tuscan State, free from the Holy Roman Empire
1743    Anna Maria Luisa, last of the Medici, dies. Florence is ruled by the house of Lorraine under Francis Stephen
1799 – 1814 Napoleon conquers Tuscany
1865 – 1870  Florence becomes capital of Italy, King Vittorio Emanuele takes residence in Palazzo Pitti
1944 The Germans blow up all the bridges in Florence on August 4 ^th, except the Ponte  Vecchio
1966 The Arno river bursts the banks and floods the city entirely
1993 The Uffizi gallery is bombed
2004  Michelangelo’s David is finally unveiled after the restoration