Guelfine

Guelfine is a term that historically referred to a member or supporter of the Guelphs, a political faction that emerged in medieval Italy. The Guelphs were generally opposed to the Ghibellines, another powerful political faction. The conflict between these two groups was a defining feature of Italian politics during the High Middle Ages, particularly in the city-states of Tuscany and Lombardy. The Guelphs typically supported the authority of the Pope, while the Ghibellines generally aligned themselves with the Holy Roman Emperor. This papal-imperial struggle influenced the internal politics of many Italian cities, leading to shifting alliances and frequent civil strife. The name "Guelph" is believed to derive from the Welf dynasty of Bavaria, who were rivals of the Hohenstaufen dynasty, the ruling house of the Holy Roman Emperors during much of this period. Over time, the specific political alignments and the intensity of the Guelph-Ghibelline conflict varied, but the terms remained significant markers of political identity in medieval and Renaissance Italy. The term "Guelfine" is less common than "Guelph" but refers to the same affiliation.