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].

Stephanie Honchell Smith: The merciless mercenaries of the Italian Renaissance

The merciless mercenaries of the Italian Renaissance

Condottieri, mercenaries of the Italian Renaissance, turned warfare into business, fighting not for glory but for payment.

With savvy contracts, these soldiers became free agents upon expiry, shifting allegiances in a dance of power and profit.

14th-century Italian condottieri were not just mercenaries but astute businessmen balancing warfare with contract specifics.