15thc perception on swallowtail merlons?

[Mark Knowles]

The subject of Guelphs and Ghibellines is a very complicated one it seems to me. I would still say it is not a topic that I feel I understand well.

The origins of the distinction was, as stated, between allegiance to the Holy Roman Emperor and allegiance to the Pope. However, by the 15th century the distinction seems much more complicated and nuisanced than that.

By that time to me they seemed almost like political parties such as the Republicans or Democrats in the United States of America. They had to some extent become detached from their original links to the Emperor or Pope. So, certain cities would be more likely to be Guelph or Ghibelline. And certain professions would be more likely to be Guelph and Ghibelline. Aristocrats would be more likely to be Ghibelline and merchants more likely to be Guelphs. But then specific individuals or families might be Guelphs or Ghibellines for their own reason. In the late 14th century in Florence there were the Black Guelphs and the White Guelphs.

Then cities might change from Guelph to Ghibelline or the other way around. This might result in them having to update all their battlements to reflect their new allegiance.

This all makes the business of working out which buildings had swallow-tail merlons in the early 15th century that much more difficult.