late C15th the Venetians had less land to give, however pensions remained high. Florence failed to keep good discipline. Armies need inspection systems based on muster rolls and carried out by respected officials with powers to fine or dismiss soldiers. No such organisation can be found in Florence. Troops were the responsibility of a rector or podesta who was a temporary appointment. Similarly the office responsible for the hiring of condottieri was also staffed by a rapidly rotating list of people. One Milanese visitor summed it up like this: Venice failed however to fortify in the 1400s and early 1500s with only 1 fort being built at Gradisca to guard against the Turks. Inland forts were not Venice’s concern. In Florence from 1406 onwards fortifications were a major part of military policy with the architect Brunelleschi being heavily involved. In the 1470s and 80s forts such as Volterra, Colle Val d’Elsa, Brolio, Sarzana and Poggio Imperiale were all built. By 1494 the Florentines relied on their forts for defence whilst Venice relied on her army. Changes after 1494 French and Spanish agreed to settle over Naples in 1500: Louis XII of France and Ferdinand of Aragon In 1502 however the two nations fell out and Italy became the place over which they would vie for political dominance in Europe Italian diplomats believed they could solve the issue of the “barbarian” states diplomatically The leagues formed by the Italian states were always temporary in nature Mercenaries Being a mercenary was generally a respected profession in the 1400s. The Condottieri (mercenary captains) were often rewarded highly by the cities they served. In Venice this included money, palaces, statues and occasionally entry into the Great Council. However, Renaissance Humanists, especially those in Florence, criticised the mercenaries for fighting for money rather than love of their state which was the Classical ideal. Guicciadini noted that the mercenaries were likely to be fickle as they were not subjects of the prince they served. Equally Machiavelli blamed the entire ruin of Italy on the employment of mercenaries.
late C15th the Venetians had less land to give, however pensions remained high. Florence failed to keep good discipline. Armies need inspection systems based on muster rolls and carried out by respected officials with powers to fine or dismiss soldiers. No such organisation can be found in Florence. Troops were the responsibility of a rector or podesta who was a temporary appointment. Similarly the office responsible for the hiring of condottieri was also staffed by a rapidly rotating list of people. One Milanese visitor summed it up like this: Venice failed however to fortify in the 1400s and early 1500s with only 1 fort being built at Gradisca to guard against the Turks. Inland forts were not Venice’s concern. In Florence from 1406 onwards fortifications were a major part of military policy with the architect Brunelleschi being heavily involved. In the 1470s and 80s forts such as Volterra, Colle Val d’Elsa, Brolio, Sarzana and Poggio Imperiale were all built. By 1494 the Florentines relied on their forts for defence whilst Venice relied on her army. Changes after 1494 French and Spanish agreed to settle over Naples in 1500: Louis XII of France and Ferdinand of Aragon In 1502 however the two nations fell out and Italy became the place over which they would vie for political dominance in Europe Italian diplomats believed they could solve the issue of the “barbarian” states diplomatically The leagues formed by the Italian states were always temporary in nature Mercenaries Being a mercenary was generally a respected profession in the 1400s. The Condottieri (mercenary captains) were often rewarded highly by the cities they served. In Venice this included money, palaces, statues and occasionally entry into the Great Council. However, Renaissance Humanists, especially those in Florence, criticised the mercenaries for fighting for money rather than love of their state which was the Classical ideal. Guicciadini noted that the mercenaries were likely to be fickle as they were not subjects of the prince they served. Equally Machiavelli blamed the entire ruin of Italy on the employment of mercenaries.
general_topic_notes.docx