SH+2015-16+P4+Guelfs

Aim: Jensen Powell



The aim of the term “Guelfs” is to convince people to join the Catholic church so they wouldn’t go to hell. Your Dictionary.com defines Guelfs as, “ any member of a political party in medieval Italy that supported the authority of the pope in opposition to the aristocratic party of the Ghibellines” ( //Your Dictionary.com //). The Guelfs were a faction that supported what the Pope did. During the time of Dante’s //Inferno//, people were starting to believe in a heaven and a hell. One of the main responsibilities of the Guelfs, besides supporting the Pope was to be like a sort of missionaries. They tried to bring people into the Catholic church to help them avoid hell. Therefore, the aim of the Guelfs was to help get people to join the Catholic church.

Works Cited:

“Guelph Dictionary Definition - Your Dictionary” //Guelph Dictionary Definition//, n.p., n.d. Web. 27 Aug. 2015.

Culture- Matthew

The Guelphs was a faction that supported the pope, and showed this influence through violence in their time to keep any form of imperial control of the Italy from the Ghibelline. Their support of the pope came from him being the head of Christianity that allowed the city-states to remain the way they were, while being peaceful. This conflict in that period is seen in the quote, “Frederick’s attempts to gain control over Italy thus split the peninsula between those who sought to enhance their powers and prerogatives by siding with the emperor and those (including the popes) who opposed any imperial interference”( // [|The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica] // ). In the time period there was the influence they had on their culture, but the society itself from falling into the hands of Northern Italy. They supported the pope through practicing the traditions that were from Christianity and upholding the peace to keep the power in the pope's hands. Then this was changed to the Guelphs upholding the city-states on the format of living without a emperor. There was battles that happened between the two groups, because of the Ghibelline trying to take over South Italy. The Pope wanted to stay in power leading to the Guelph faction fighting back the other. While the other faction wanted to set in place a imperial style rule that would take over the city-states and the Pope from being in control and keepings the people under him at peace with other and themselves.

Works Cited: "Guelf and Ghibelline | European History." //Encyclopedia Britannica Online//. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 27 Aug. 2015.

Daniel Kemp (Audience)



The intended audience of the term “Guelfs” can be a very wide variety of people ranging from those who were enemies to the factions cause and those that are allies. Wiktionary describes a Guelf as, “A member of a medieval Italian faction that supported the Pope in a long struggle against the Ghibellines and the German emperors” (//Wiktionary//). The Guelf faction had enemies and the name, much like a uniform the in an army, provided protection. If one heard the term “Guelf” it was either respected by faction members or despised by the the Ghibellines. The primary audience The primary audience would be current Members of either faction. “[The terms] Were used to designate the papal (Guelph) party and the imperial (Ghibelline) party during the long struggle between popes and emperors, and they were also used in connection with the rivalry of two princely houses of Germany, the Welfs or Guelphs, who were dukes of Saxony and Bavaria, and the Hohenstaufen” (Zdravko). Historically the terms are used to describe the opposing side in the crusades. The secondary audience would be future generations wanting to know the events of this crusade.

Works Cited:

Batzarov, Zdravko. "Guelphs and Ghibellines." //Guelphs and Ghibellines//. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Aug. 2015. "Guelph." Wiktionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Aug. 2015

Historical: Luis



It is very likely that history was and still will be made from the term “Guelfs”. One article states, “After the Hohenstaufen loss of southern Italy (1266) and the final extinction of their line (1268), the Guelf and Ghibelline conflict changed in meaning” (//Britannica//). The term “Guelfs” will always have a significance in history. The term will always be used for it’s direct meaning and actual history but can also be changed. The term can be used along with it’s counterpart of “Ghibellines” to contrast to groups. More specifically two groups with contrasting ideas. This term has made and will make history due to it’s incorporation in Dante’s //Inferno//. The book will eternally retain the term and keep it going throughout history.

// "Guelf and Ghibelline". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. // // Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2015. Web. 27 Aug. 2015 //