Editing Vicenza (section)

=== Middle Ages ===
In 899, Vicenza was destroyed by [[Hungarian people|Magyar]] raiders.

In 1001, [[Otto III]] handed over the government of the city to the [[bishop]], and its communal organization had an opportunity to develop, separating soon from the episcopal authority. It took an active part in the League with Verona and, most of all, in the [[Lombard League]] (1164–1167) against Emperor [[Frederick Barbarossa|Frederick I Barbarossa]] compelling Padua and Treviso to join: its {{lang|it|[[podestà]]}}, [[Ezzelino III da Romano|Ezzelino II il Balbo]], was captain of the league. When peace was restored, however, the old rivalry with Padua, [[Bassano del Grappa|Bassano]], and other cities was renewed, besides which there were the internal factions of the Vivaresi ([[Ghibellines]]) and the Maltraversi ([[Guelphs]]).

The tyrannical [[Ezzelino III]] from Bassano drove the Guelphs out of Vicenza, and caused his brother, [[Alberico da Romano|Alberico]], to be elected podestà in 1230. The independent [[medieval commune|commune]] joined the Second Lombard League against Emperor [[Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick II]] who sacked the city in 1237, after which it was annexed to Ezzelino's dominions. On his death the old oligarchic [[republic]] political structure was restored – a ''consiglio maggiore'' ("grand council") of four hundred members and a ''consiglio minore'' ("small council") of forty members – and it formed a league with Padua, [[Treviso]] and [[Verona]]. Three years later the Vicentines entrusted the protection of the city to [[Padua]], so as to safeguard republican liberty; but this protectorate (''custodia'') quickly became dominion, and for that reason Vicenza in 1311 submitted to the [[Scaligeri]] lords of [[Verona]], who fortified it against the [[Visconti of Milan]].

Vicenza [[War of Padua|came under the rule]] of the [[Republic of Venice]] in 1404, and its subsequent history is that of Venice. It was besieged by the [[Emperor Sigismund]]. In 1496, the ''[[podestà]]'' [[Antonio Bernardo (humanist)|Antonio Bernardo]] expelled the Jews from Vicenza.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Civic Piety and Patriotism: Patrician Humanists and Jews in Venice and Its Empire |first=Stephen |last=Bowd |journal=Renaissance Quarterly |volume=69 |issue=4 |year=2016 |page=1284 |jstor=26560059}}</ref> [[Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor|Maximilian I]] held possession of Vicenza in 1509 and 1516.