GuelphsGhibellines

The GuelphsGhibellines were factions supporting, respectively,Papacy andHoly Roman Empire during12th century13th century. The strugglepower betweenPapacy andHoly Roman Empire had actually arisen withinvestiture conflict of11th century.

Guelphmost likely an Italian formWelf,family ofcountsBavaria (includingnamesake Welf, as well as HenryLion). The Welfs were saidhave usedname asrallying cry duringBattleWeinsberg1140,whichrival HohenstaufensSwabia (led attime by Conrad III) used Waiblingen,name ofcastle, as their cry. Waiblingen became GhibellineItalian. The names were likely introducedItaly duringreignFrederick Barbarossa. While campaigningItalyexpand imperial power there,Lombard Leagueits supporters became known as Guelphs, while those who supported Frederick became known as Ghibellines. The Lombard League defeated Frederick atBattleLegnano1176.

Atbeginning of13th century, PhilipSwabiaOttoBrunswick were rivals forthrone. Philip was supported byGhibellines asrelativeFrederick I, while Otto was supported byGuelphs. Philip’s heir, Frederick II, was an enemyboth Otto andPapacy,during Frederick’s reignGuelphs became more strictly associated withPapacy whileGhibellines became supporters ofEmpire. Frederick II also introduced this division toCrusader StatesSyria duringSixth Crusade.

AfterdeathFrederick II1250Ghibellines were supported by Conrad IVlater Manfred, whileGuelphs were supported by CharlesAnjou. AfterHohenstaufen line went extinctConradin’s death1268,GuelphsGhibellines became associatedindividual familiescities, rather thanstruggle between empirepapacy. The division between GuelphsGhibellines was especially importantFlorence, althoughtwo sides frequently rebelled against each othertook powermany ofother northern Italian cities as well. Essentiallytwo sides were now fighting either against German influence (incase ofGuelphs), or againsttemporal power ofPope (incase ofGhibellines). In FlorenceelsewhereGuelphs usually included merchantsburghers, whileGhibellines tendedbe noblemen. They also adopted peculiar customs such as wearingfeather onparticular sidetheir hats, or cutting fruitparticular way, accordingtheir affiliation.

By 1300GuelphsFlorence were fighting amongst themselves,were divided intoBlack Guelphs andWhite Guelphs. The Blacks continuedsupportPapacy, whileWhites were opposedPapal influence, specificallyinfluencePope Boniface VIII. Dante was amongsupporters ofWhite Guelphs,in 1302 was exiled whenBlack Guelphs took controlFlorence. Those who were not connectedeither side, or who had no connectionseither Guelphs or Ghibellines, considered both factions unworthysupport. Emperor Henry VII was disgusted by supportersboth sides when he visited Italy1310,in 1334 Pope Benedict XII threatened excommunicationanyone who used either name.

In16th centuryGuelphs supportedCharles VIIIFrance during his invasionItaly, whileGhibellines were supportersemperor Maximilian I. Citiesfamilies usednames until Emperor Charles V firmly established imperial powerItaly1529.

Adapted from1911 Encyclopedia Britannica andCatholic Encyclopedia.