Urban development and the formation of the Sienese state (1000–1260)

This chapter considers the development of the medieval city in its larger European context. As a result of the crusades and the corresponding economic boom, Siena flourished as an important stop on the Via Francigena and a center of trade. This chapter also examines the rise of the Sienese commune and the various sources of power that competed for influence in the medieval city.