Towards the City. Inclusion and Exclusion in Communal Italy (XII-XIV centuries).

During the thirteenth century, Italian cities experienced a massive population surge driven by the renewed economic development of the communes. Following the period of conflict between the Pope and Emperor Frederick II, these cities became the hubs of the Italian economy. This prosperity ensured a steady stream of tax revenue, enabling internal stability and control over the surrounding countryside, and provided the means to mobilize significant military forces, attracting renowned mercenary commanders and captains of fortune. However, this economic growth also drew people to migrate and settle within the city walls, attracted by the greater employment opportunities compared to the rural hinterland. It is within this context that the study of the Commune of Trieste is situated, a city of strategic importance in the Upper Adriatic region, yet long overlooked by historiography for various reasons. This work aims to examine the development and growth of this Julian city, focusing on migration flows from the hinterland and the resulting political dynamics. The mobility under investigation encompasses both inward and outward movement; it sparked urban housing conflicts and intensified political strife, increasingly turning the countryside into a primary theater for armed confrontation. Thus, the study explores the relationship between the city and its hinterland, not only in social and economic terms but also regarding conflict and the maintenance of order within the Commune of Trieste, while using other Italian cities as points of comparison.