Guelphs

The Guelphs appear in the narrative as a political faction whose return to Florence followed a decisive change of power: King Charles the Old defeated Manfred, and the Ghibellines were expelled from the city. The reference gives them a clear place in the conflict’s outcome, though it does not describe their internal organization, leaders, or policies.

Political setting

The account presents the Guelphs in relation to the Ghibellines and to the consequences of King Charles the Old’s victory. Their return to Florence is paired with the expulsion of their opponents, making factional rule visible through displacement: political triumph alters who can remain in the city and who must leave.

Exile after the change of power

The transition is the background to the story of Neri degli Uberti. He departs Florence with his household and substantial wealth, intending to seek refuge under King Charles the Old, and settles at Castellamare di Stabia. The narrative identifies Neri as belonging to a party opposed to the king, but does not explicitly name him as a Ghibelline; the distinction matters because his personal exile is linked to the factional upheaval without establishing his precise affiliation.

Narrative significance

The Guelphs’ return is brief but consequential framing: it explains the political circumstances in which Neri leaves Florence and approaches the victorious ruler. When King Charles the Old later visits Neri’s garden, he recognizes that his host belongs to the opposing party and chooses to deal with him familiarly. The scene shifts attention from factional expulsion to hospitality across political division; the Guelphs remain part of the larger context rather than participants in the encounter itself.