ARH-2000 Study Guide - Final Guide: Guelphs And Ghibellines, Hieratic, Sandro Botticelli
Document Summary
Title: towers of the donati family (guelph supported the pope) Date (within 10 years): beginning of 13th century. Why important: appointed bishops that came to represent florence in the name of the pope had to come through the gate and go into st. peter"s church and perform his first mass. Then the bishop would get married to the head nun who would sleep in the convent become a symbolic unity of the papal state and the city of florence. The donati family (due to location of the towers) had control of the bishops entering florence. The pope had to get their permission when choosing a bishop to represent florence: the bottom of the tower was used for storage. The entrance, which was the second door, and had a wooden staircase that was guarded. In times of war the staircase would be chopped off for protection.
