However, over time, powerful persons in many city states became signore, and also established small principalities by obtaining titles from the pope or from the Holy Roman Emperor (for example, the Medici family in Florence -> Grand duke of Toscana).
しかし、やがて多くの都市国家で実力者が僭主（シニョーレ、signore）となり、さらにローマ教皇や神聖ローマ皇帝から爵位をもらって小公国を作るようになる（例：フィレンツェのメディチ家→トスカーナ大公）。