136 DAVID NICOLLE G A EMBLETONFirst published in Great Britain in 1983 by Osprey, an imprint of Reed Gonsumer Books Lid, Michelin House, 81 Fulham Road, London SW3 6RB and Auckland, Melbourne, Sing: spore and Toronto © Copyright 1983 Reed International Books Ltd. Reprinted 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1995 All rights reserved. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as pe ler the Copyright Designs and Patents Act, 1988, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, ele electrical, chemical, mechanical, optical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Enquiries should be addressed to the Publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Nicolle, David Halian medieval armies, 1300-1500. (Men-at-Arms series; 136) 1, Armies—Italy— History — 1268-1492 1. Title IL. Series 355'-00945 U37 ISBN 0 85045 478 Filmset in Great Britain Printed through Bookbuilders Lid, Hong Kong IF you would like to receive more information about Osprey Military books, The Osprey Messenger isa regular newsletter which contains articles, new title information and special offers. To join fre of charge please write to: Osprey Military Messenger, PO Box 5, Rushden, Northants NN10 6YXLtalian Metheval Armies 300-1500 Introduction Mercenaries were a common feature throughout most of Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries, and had been known far earlier. But nowhere did such a sophisticated system of hiring, payment and, organisation of mercenaries develop as it did in aly. This was, of course, a result of the peninsula's special political, economic and social conditions. Here was a region divided into numerous independent or quasi-independent states, but which was also highly urbanised and economically developed. Feudalism had never really taken root, except in the south and in some peripheral areas of the far north. Urban militias in which the poor provided the infantry and the rich the cavalry had, throughout the early Middle Ages, generally been led by a town-based aristocracy. These forces, had already re-established the towns’ dominance over the countryside, and had preserved Ttaly from domination by the Holy Roman Emperor and his German armies. The countryside did provide military levies, and was liberally dotted with castles; but in general these fortifications, were cither dependent upon nearby towns, for whom the surrounding landscape formed a food- producing contado, or were owned by local lords who themselves spent most of their lives in town, The importance of the mercenary rose, either as urban militias declined in military effectiveness; or as political aggressiveness Ied to a need for standing armies; or as political tensions within the towns became painfully reflected in their militias. It was less truc that rising incomes encouraged townsmen to hire others to fulfil their military obligations, or that townsfell under the domination of tyrants who did not trust their turbulent subjects. Many of these phenomena were seen elsewhere in Europe, and similarly led to a greate reliance on mercenaries. Yet Italy remained an extreme case, and the condottiere—whose name came from the condotta or contract between him- self and his employer—was the result. Whether commander or humble trooper, the condottiere was a complete professional. His skill has never been doubted, but his loyalty and dedication to a particular cause often has. The Italian condottiere’s. poor reputation was, ironically enough, a result of later criticism within Ttaly itself. Machiavelli was not the only 16th century propagandist who, harshly judging the political scenein his native land, wenton to provide an overstated armchair-strategist’s critique of the condottiere system. While a mercenary was obviously not looking for a hero’s grave, he was at savoy Tugin 11° Pyrobioge a PROVENCE rye 2 on * 5 foaustri) Aesiatha " Mogiosio * Montua Yerona Torrens Seige Sorzaneloe tye NSE Lg etrrang Ggbenee 5 P Metceee e > . Rimini 4 Sicko z be 4 Usfieb ee . 1% SEQidio. c > sogetonSegaie ve | para@srared +b} Rome Eraser) Described & Bates | aes “KINGDOM Regise OF (Ou Nossal . NAPLES Ou-rorsatl r (Aragon) Paterno KINGDOM =, Taranto OF sicicy 3 ra Fegaio’ ITALY circa 1450