The city of Florence, known as Firenze in Italy, lying on the river Arno, was known as Florentia in Roman times.
In the 13th century the city of Florence became one of the most important cities in Europe. The poet Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) wrote the "Divina Commedia" (The Divine Comedy). The city of Florence played an important role during the Italian Renaissance (14th-16th centuries), with works of many artists including Michelangelo (1475-1564) and Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519).
The Medici family ruled the city between 1434 and 1737, after that it came under the rule of Austria. In 1861 it became part of the kingdom of Italy.