Editing Ancona (section)

===Maritime Republic of Ancona===
{{See also|Republic of Ancona}}
After 1000, Ancona became increasingly independent, eventually turning into an important [[maritime republic]]<ref>''The International Geographic Encyclopedia and Atlas'', ''Ancona'' (p. 27), Springer, 1979. ISBN 9781349050024.</ref> (together with [[Gaeta]] and [[Dubrovnik|Ragusa]], it is one of those not appearing on the [[Italian Navy#Naval ensign|Italian naval flag]]), often clashing against the nearby power of [[Republic of Venice|Venice]]. An oligarchic republic, Ancona was ruled by six Elders, elected by the three ''[[terziere|terzieri]]'' into which the city was divided: S. Pietro, Porto and Capodimonte.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}} It had a coin of its own, the [[agontano]], and a series of laws known as ''Statuti del mare e del Terzenale'' and ''Statuti della Dogana''. Ancona was usually allied with the [[Republic of Ragusa]] and the [[Byzantine Empire]].{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}

In 1137, 1167 and 1174 it was strong enough to push back the forces of the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. Anconitan ships took part in the Crusades, and their navigators included [[Cyriac of Ancona]]. In the struggle between the Popes and the Holy Roman Emperors that troubled Northern and central Italy from the 12th century onwards, Ancona sided with the Popes ([[Guelphs and Ghibellines|Guelph]]s).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ancona-Presentazione di Storia |url=https://view.genially.com/656c6238f6fe2900149bea71/presentation-ancona-presentazione-di-storia |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=Genially |language=en}}</ref>

[[File:Repubbliche marinare - fondachi anconitani.png|thumb|Trade routes and warehouses of the maritime republic of Ancona]]

Unlike other cities of northern Italy, Ancona never became a [[signoria]]. The sole exception was the rule of the [[House of Malatesta|Malatesta]], who took the city in 1348, taking advantage of the [[black death]] and of a fire that had destroyed many of the city's important buildings.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}} The Malatesta were ousted in 1383. In 1532, Ancona definitively lost its freedom and became part of the [[Papal States]], under [[Pope Clement VII]]. The symbol of the new papal authority was the massive Citadel.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}