The merciless mercenaries of the Italian Renaissance
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Stephanie Honchell Smith |
TED-Ed
• July 2023
During the 14th and 15th centuries, mercenaries known as condottieri dominated Italian warfare, profiting from— and encouraging— the region's intense political rivalries. As rulers competed for power and prestige, their disputes often played out in military conflicts, fought almost entirely by the condottieri. So who were these elite and conniving warriors? Stephanie Honchell Smith investigates. [Directed by Yael Reisfeld, narrated by Jack Cutmore-Scott, music by Carlos Magaña Bru, cAMP Studio].