Savonarola's Theocratic Rule in Florence

Timeline

1. 1494Florence · TuscanyCharles VIII marched south; Piero de' Medici capitulated to the French king, provoking backlash from citizens and notables. The Medici were expelled in November 1494 and the republic restored, but the traditional oligarchic order collapsed, leaving space for Savonarola's political intervention.
2. 1495–1497Florence Cathedral · FlorenceSavonarola preached in the cathedral condemning corruption and luxury, proclaiming Florence would become a new Jerusalem. He pushed for Great Council reforms, restricted gambling and finery, and through moral purification campaigns influenced city government, forming a de facto theocratic rule.
3. 1497–1498Florence · TuscanyIn 1497 Pope Alexander VI imposed a ban on him; after the failed "ordeal by fire" in 1498, Savonarola was arrested and the theocratic experiment quickly collapsed. This phase marked his rule's descent from its peak to ruin.