English: Map of Tuscany at the end of the thirteenth century.The historical events in 13th century Florence reflect the evolution of the municipal institutions present everywhere and demonstrate how, in reality, the facts were intertwined in the broader struggle between the Empire and the Papacy. Florence was established as a municipality during the 11th century and since then began to expand into the surrounding region. At the beginning, the government was of an aristocratic-consular type but evolved towards a podestarial government, also because the merchant class was developing. In the second half of the 13th century, popular governments alternated. The company had strong divisions. The "fat people", made up of nobles of feudal origin and rich merchants and bankers, were contrasted by the "small people", which included small artisans and shop workers. Even from a political point of view, there were divisions due to the presence of two opposing factions: the Guelphs and the Ghibellines, whose name was officially assumed in 1215. The Guelphs were pro-papal, while the Ghibellines were pro-imperial. Over time this distinction began to mask the rivalry between the noble families. Initially, the Ghibellines led by the Uberti family prevailed in Florence. However, their supremacy was ephemeral because in 1250 after the death of Frederick II, the Guelphs expelled the Ghibellines from the city. Ten years later, in 1260, in the battle of Montaperti, the Ghibellines achieved victory over the Guelphs, whose leaders were sent into exile, thus being able to resume government of the city. After various events, in 1289, the battle of Campaldino in which Florence, mostly Guelph, and Arezzo, mostly Ghibelline, faced each other saw the final defeat of the latter. The victory of the Guelphs did not put an end to the internal conflicts since, subsequently, the Guelphs divided into white Guelphs and black Guelphs. The former were more favorable to the Empire, supporting the idea that the Pope should not interfere in civil affairs, while the latter relied directly on the papal court, also encouraging its extension into Tuscany. In the following century, as happened in other parts of Italy, Florence began to incorporate the smaller municipalities (Pistoia, Cortona, Arezzo)