* _These illustrations are reproduced, with permission, from photographs by Messrs Alinari of Florence._ + _These illustrations are reproduced, with permission, from photographs by Messrs Lombardi of Siena._ _We are indebted to Signor Enrico Torrini of Siena for permission to make use of his map._ _The remaining illustrations are all from drawings by Helen M. James._ The Story of Siena and San Gimignano CHAPTER I _The Republic of Siena_ Siena remains the most perfectly mediaeval of all the larger cities of Tuscany. Its narrow streets, its spacious Gothic palaces and churches, the three hills upon which it rises enthroned, with the curiously picturesque valleys between them, are still inclosed in frowning walls of the fourteenth century. The Renaissance came to it late, gave it its enduring epithet of "soft Siena," and blended harmoniously, almost imperceptibly, with its mediaeval spirit. According to the more picturesque of the traditions respecting its origin, Siena was founded by Senius, the son of Remus, who brought with him the image of the _Lupa_, the she-wolf suckling the twins, which still remains the city's badge. When he offered sacrifice to his gods, a dense black smoke arose from the altar of Apollo and a pure white smoke from that of Diana--in commemoration of which was made the _balzana_, the black and white shield of the Commune that we still see upon Siena's gates and public buildings. There are two other shields associated with it: a blue shield with the word _Libertas_ in gold letters; a red shield with a white lion rampant. According to other traditions, scarcely more historical, the first was granted to Siena by Charlemagne, the second (the arms of the People) by the Emperor Otto.