The Italian Calega Panzan composes Ar es sazos c'om si deu alegrar, a sirventes attacking the Guelphs and Angevins
Descent can be traced in an unbroken line from one Gugliarello Acciaioli in the 12th century; family legend says that Gugliarello (a name possibly derived from It. guglia, needle) migrated from Brescia to Florence in 1160 because they were Guelphs and fled Barbarossa's invasion of Northern Italy.
In 1269 the castle was stormed by the Guelphs, and the commune of Piacenza held it until 1307, when Emperor Henry VII gave it back to Umbertino II Landi.
•
Galeazzo I Visconti of Milan obtained a notable victory over the Guelphs in the nearby on November 29, 1321.
In July 1404, the town of Berzo was destroyed by the Guelphs from the towns of Predore and Adrara San Rocco, which had suffered depredations and looting at the hands of townsmen of Berzo.
It appears that the Guelphs and the Bishporic had close ties, as Bishop Conrad was of Guelph descent.
At that time, the Cerchi family, leaders of the merchant faction who had long feuded with the Donati, became allied with the White Guelphs while the Donati allied with the Black Guelphs, similar factions which had arisen in Pistoia.
The sirventes defends the attempts of Alfonso to receive his crown, advocates for the freedom of Henry of Castile (the imprisoned by the Guelphs), and lends support to Aragones political ambitions in Italy.
His employers were all Ghibellines (supporters of the Holy Roman Emperor), who were in conflict with the Guelphs (supporters of the Pope), and all were excommunicated at some time or another.