Editing Asti (section)

=== Local power ===

Asti was one of the first [[Medieval commune|free communes]] of Italy, and in 1140 received the right to mint coins of its own by [[Conrad II, Holy Roman Empire|Conrad II]]. As the commune, however, had begun to erode the lands of the bishop and other local feudatories, the latter sued for help to [[Frederick Barbarossa]], who presented under the [[Asti City Walls|city walls]] with a huge army in February 1155. After a short siege, Asti was stormed and burnt. Subsequently, Asti adhered to the [[Lombard League]] (1169) against the German emperor, but was again defeated in 1174. Despite this, after the [[Peace of Constance]] (1183), the city gained further privileges.

The 13th century saw the peak of the Astigiani economic and cultural splendour, only momentarily hindered by wars against [[Alba, Piedmont|Alba]], [[Alessandria]], [[Savoy]], [[Milan]] (which besieged the city in 1230) and the [[Marquess of Montferrat|Marquesses of Montferrat]] and [[Saluzzo]]. In particular, the commune aimed to gain control over the lucrative trade routes leading northwards from the Ligurian ports. In this period, the rise of the [[Casane Astigiane]] resulted in contrasting political familial alliances of [[Guelph and Ghibelline]] supporters. During the wars led by Emperor [[Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick II]] in northern Italy, the city chose his side: Asti was defeated by the Guelphs of Alessandria at Quattordio and Clamandrana, but thanks to [[Genoa|Genoese]] help, it recovered easily. After Frederick's death, the struggle against [[Thomas II of Savoy]] became fierce: the Astigiani defeated him on 23 February 1255, at the [[Battle of Montebruno]], but Thomas (who had been taken prisoner) replied ordering all traders from Asti to be arrested in [[Savoy]] and [[France]]. This move showed worry on the part of Asti's neighbouring states over the excessive power gained by the city, which had captured Alba and controlled both [[Chieri]] and Turin.

This state of affairs led to the intervention of [[Charles I of Anjou]], then King of Naples and the most powerful man in Italy. After some [[guerrilla]] actions, Asti signed a pact of alliance with [[Pavia]], [[Genoa]] and [[William VII of Montferrat]]. In 1274 the Astigiani troops were defeated at the [[Battle of Cassano (1259)|Battle of Cassano]], but, on 12 December 1275, were victorious over the Angevins at the [[Battle of Roccavione]], ending Charles' attempt to expand in Piedmont. In the 1290s, after William VII had also been defeated, Asti was the most powerful city in Piedmont. However, internal struggles for the control of trading and banking enterprises soon divided the city into factions. The most prominent faction was the powerful bankers of the Solari family, who, in 1314, gave the city to king [[Robert of Naples]].

In 1339, [[Ghibelline]] exiles recaptured the city, expelling the Solari and their Neopolitan allies. Shortly thereafter in 1340, [[Luchino Visconti (died 1349)|Luchino Visconti, Lord of Milan]] took control of Asti, an act which the rulers of the commune formally accepted in 1342 to protect against the potential of a Solari counteroffensive.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Colussi |first1=Paolo |last2=Tolfo |first2=Maria Grazia |title=Chronology of Milan from 1326 to 1350 |url=https://www.storiadimilano.it/cron/dal1326al1350.htm |website=Storia di Milano |publisher=Storiadimilano di Paolo Colussi e Mariagrazia Tolfo |access-date=4 March 2025 |date=2012}}</ref> To protect the new burgs of the city, Visconti built a citadel and a second ring of walls. In 1345, at the [[Battle of Gamenario]], the Ghibelline Astigiani and [[John II of Montferrat]] defeated the Neapolitans in a clash between Guelph forces from the Kingdom of Naples and the Ghibellines supported by the Lombard communes. After the Battle of Gamenario, John II expanded the territory of Montferrat and ultimately in 1356 took Asti from the Visconti ending 16 years of control by Milan.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ferraris |first1=Carlo |title=History of Monferrato, the origins, the marquisate, the duchy |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926221447/http://www.ilmonferrato.info/storia/storia2.htm |website=Wayback Machine |publisher=Internet Archive |access-date=17 February 2025 |language=Italian}}</ref> John ruled over Asti until 1372, but seven years later the city council submitted to [[Galeazzo II Visconti]]'s authority. Later in 1389, when Galeazzo's daughter [[Valentina Visconti, Duchess of Orléans|Valentina Visconti]] marries [[Louis of Valois, Duke of Orléans]], Asti will be included as part of her dowry.