After Charles VIII of France invaded Florence in 1494, the ruling Medici were removed. Savonarola became the new leader of the city, both as a secular leader and priest. He set up a rather modern democratic republic in Florence. Savonarola wanted to make Florence a city devoted to God, a good “Christian and religious Republic.” Homosexuality had been acceptable in Florence, and many were important people. One of Savonarola's first laws was to make sodomy a crime which would be punished by death.