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.