Editing Ciompi Revolt (section)

===Three phases===
The Ciompi revolt occurred in three phases. These consisted a stage of reform in the months of May and June, the "[[revolution]]", or violent outburst of the revolt occurring in mid-July, and the fall of the temporary Ciompi government – the "reaction", which occurred at the end of August.<ref name=mollat />{{rp|143}} In June 1378, the series of events began with the fourteen minor guilds of Florence demanding greater representation in civic office. Initially the Ciompi were not violently involved and the early stages of the revolt were as much a power struggle between the guilds as it was between Florence's Signoria and the exploited lower class. The guildsmen who demanded this greater representation in government still sought to keep the Sotto posti from forming guilds and thereby being able to gain a political position.<ref>Farr, James Richard. Artisans in Europe, 1300–1914. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2000) P. 180</ref> However, the Sotto posti soon submitted their own demands and hoped to have them met. The Signoria had no intention of granting the un-guilded Sotto posti these liberties however and instead, feeling threatened, made it more difficult to obtain office and quadrupled the fee for admittance. This action sparked indignation and turned the Sotto posti, who were previously hopeful for better rights and social/professional advances, into opponents of the Signoria, aligning their aims and ailments with those of the lower class Ciompi.<ref name=mollat />{{rp|147}} Salvestro de Medici was one of the individuals assigned the blame by many in the lower classes, and later also faced accusation from his peers for letting the situation with the Ciompi get out of hand.

====Reform====
On 22 June 1378, the first outbreak of violence occurred when the un-guilded wool-workers took up arms and attacked government buildings, monasteries and a number of Palazzi whilst also releasing inmates from city prisons.<ref name=mollat />{{rp|147}} Nevertheless, it was yet to become a full blown revolt. The Signoria attempted to appease the lower classes through talks and petitions, although ultimately suggested little change and still left the Ciompi guildless and without power or representation in government. The procrastination of the Signoria and half measures adopted therefore is perhaps what contributed to the second phase of the revolt.<ref name=mollat />{{rp|147}}

[[File:Italy-0948 - Palazzo Vecchio (5193197417).jpg|thumbnail|Palazzo Vecchio, completed in 1314]]

====Revolt====
On 21 July, the lower classes forcibly took over the government, placing the wool carder [[Michele di Lando]] in the executive office of [[gonfaloniere of justice]], and showing their banner, the blacksmith's flag, at the [[Bargello]], the palace of the [[podestà]]. On this day, thousands of armed wool workers (the Ciompi) and those from the Sotto posti, besieged the Signoria and pointedly hanged the public executioner by his feet in front of the [[Palazzo Vecchio]].<ref name=plebian />{{rp|742}} The Ciompi then compelled the governing body, the [[Signoria of Florence|Signoria]], to establish three additional guilds in order to grant them access to political office.<ref>Hibbert, Christopher "The House of the Medici: Its Rise and Fall" pp.26–27</ref> In demanding the creation of an ''arte del pololo minuto'', the Ciompi requests were not especially radical: they were simply demanding the same rights the other minor guilds currently had. Most of the Ciompi (and Sotto Posti involved) aimed for reform rather than radical or revolutionary innovation.<ref name=mollat />{{rp|149}} The total membership of the three new guilds was roughly 13,000 men whereas the twenty-one previously existing guilds had a membership of about 4000 to 5000 between them. After the incorporation of these new guilds, almost every man in Florence was able to participate in city government.<ref name=najemy />{{rp|165}}

Considering the militancy with which the Ciompi had seized power, their demands both politically and socially, were modest. Their main concerns included the formation of a guild for wool workers and they also wished to tackle unemployment by increasing wool production.<ref name=plebian />{{rp|742}} The Ciompi in fact did not demand ownership of cloth production or the cloth factories and their ideals were still based around the traditional guild idea, wishing to protect their economic interests and the situation of their workers.<ref name=brucker />{{rp|68}}

However the new Ciompi government, once they had pushed out the Signoria, experienced early problems. While they made demands such as the right to elect three of their own priors, the reduction of [[judicial corporal punishment]], and reform of the tax system, the new government was rather weak and lacked strong bargaining skills.<ref name=textbook>King, Margaret. ''The Renaissance in Europe''. London: Laurence King, 2003, 38–39.</ref> An analysis of those within the newly appointed Balia suggests that only half were actually Ciompi, the rest being of middle class and other professions. The clash of interests and resulting struggle and sense of betrayal experienced by the Ciompi when their leader Michele di Lando turned against them, ignoring their demands, led to the third stage of the revolt.

[[File:Piazza della Signoria.jpg|thumb|Piazza della Signoria|300px]]

====Reaction====
At the end of August 1378, factionalism among the Ciompi and the radical persecution of enemies of the revolution, led di Lando to arrest two Ciompi leaders who had demanded constitutional reform. The next day, di Lando rode out of the palace with the standard bearer of justice and cleared the piazza of a militia from the three new guilds who were shouting "Long live the popolo minuto" and demanding the resignation of di Lando's government.<ref name=plebian />{{rp|742}} The workers' militia returned and a battle for the [[Piazza della Signoria]] broke out between the Ciompi and the forces of the major and minor guilds led by the guild of butchers.<ref name=textbook /> The Ciompi and Sotto posti were slaughtered that day by the other guilds alongside the reformist forces under previous Ciompi leader di Lando, who also acted to crush the Eight Saints who were attempting to challenge his power in government. This day has been named one of the bloodiest in Florentine history.<ref name=plebian />{{rp|742}}

On 1 September citizens assembled in the piazza and approved the dissolution of the Ciompi guild. Nevertheless, the government continued to enact Ciompi-led reforms, such as the establishment of the ''estimo''—a direct tax on household wealth on 29 October 1378. Overall, the Ciompi revolt consisted of complex social, economic and political factors, as well as the involvement of more than one group of workers such as the Ciompi. The hierarchical guild system played an important part in the conflict, as did guild members who were key in turning on the government and ending its short reign over the city. Although often portrayed as radical today, the demands and wishes of the wool workers and others involved were fairly modest and reform did not take the shape of a societal overhaul. The idea that the Ciompi could live harmoniously with all the other groups and guilds in society after they assumed government, however, was idealistic. Furthermore, the disillusionment experienced when the conflict continued especially after the collapse of the regime and the guilds dissolution certainly contributed to the decline of labour unrest in Florence's cloth industry in the years following and lack of political power that these sections of society continued to have.<ref name=brucker />{{rp|68}}