Count Nicolo Alberti coughs apologeticly, takes a sip of wine from his goblet, then leans back in his chair. “Allow me to present my contribution”
The siege of Ascia
This is a story about Ascia, a town which is a neighbour to my native Floria. In ancient days, Ascia was ruled by the Ugolino family, under the usual arrangement: the townsfolk of Ascia gave their obedience and paid heavy taxes, and the Ugolini protected them from bandits, thieves, and greedy neighbours. For a long time the arrangement worked: raiders were seen off, merchants were protected, and those who harassed them on the roads were punished. Trade prospered, the wealth of Ascia’s merchants grew, and the Ugolini grew wealthy in turn.
Unfortunately, as often happens, wealth did not lead to satisfaction, but to greed. The Ugolini saw that by controlling more cities, they could grow even wealthier. So, they began to threaten Ascia’s neighbours, extorting them for tribute, and demanding that they accept Ugolini “protection”. When a town refused, they sacked it. The wealth flowed back not to Ascia, but to the Ugolini, who used it to fortify their castle and hire more men for their armies.
This situation went on for a number of years, causing great dissatisfaction in the region, until another town Aurelium, took a stand. The town council of Aurelium united the local towns, and pooled their resources to defend themselves against the Ugolini. The people of Ascia, feeling threatened, fortified their town, building themselves a strong wall with towers and laying in supplies in case of attack. They were right to do so, because Aurelium and its allies marched on Ascia and laid siege to both the town and the neighbouring castle. The Ascians were safe behind their new wall, but they could not trade, and the Ugolini did not dare venture forth to defend them.
The siege went on for months, supplies ran low, and the people of Ascia began to grow hungry. And as they did, their dissatisfaction with the Ugolini grew. What had their obedience brought them but an unwelcome war? What had their taxes paid for but starvation? Instead of being protected by the Ugolini, the Ascians were protecting themselves, through a wall they had built through their own efforts. They were transforming, from obedient servants into a rebellious, self-reliant citizens.
Eventually, the chef merchant families decided that they should break ties with the Ugolini, and henceforth defend themselves. They sued for peace with Aurelium and its allies, paid a token compensation (arguing that they were as much victims of Ugolini aggression as their neighbours), and when the Ugolini fortress was finally taken, sent workers to raze it to the ground so it could never again threaten them or their neighbours. They established themselves as a merchant republic, and to this day have no lord or master.
As for the Ugolini, they moved to Floria, started a bank, and are wealthy still.