Condottieri: The Rise of Mercenary Warfare in the Late Middle Ages
Mercenaries waging war for pay became a characteristic phenomenon of the late Middle Ages. The emergence of such warriors is closely connected with political fragmentation, weakness of the central government and frequent military conflicts, especially in Italy, where in the 13th-15th centuries "soldiers of fortune" became an integral part of the armed forces of city-states. The latter, competing with each other, preferred to hire professional soldiers instead of forming a militia from local residents, and the mercenaries themselves became the personification of military skill and ingenuity, sometimes surpassing regular troops in tactics and efficiency.
Condottieri, whose name comes from the Italian word "condotta" (contract), were originally military leaders who entered into contracts with rulers or city authorities. They formed and led their own mercenary companies, which could be quickly assembled and disbanded once their mission was accomplished. These companies were highly disciplined and professional, making them valuable to the unstable Italian principalities and city-republics.
As the feudal system weakened, classical knightly armies became less effective, and many former knights began to seek employment as mercenaries. Their experience and training allowed the condottieri to introduce more tactical and maneuverable approaches to battle, as opposed to the traditional and outdated methods of warfare based on mass clashes of heavy cavalry. As a result, by the 14th century, mercenary armies played a key role in military campaigns across Europe, especially in localized conflicts for power in Italy.
In turn, despite its effectiveness, mercenarism was accompanied by many difficulties, both for the warriors themselves and for the employers.
In particular, the condottieri were loyal not to the country or the king, but only to the contract and the "golden payment." This meant that they could leave the army at any time if offered more favorable conditions, or even go over to the enemy, which, in fact, often happened.
In addition, during times of protracted conflicts and unstable governments, mercenaries often found themselves in situations where payments were delayed or non-existent, and they resorted to looting and terrorizing the local population to provide themselves with the necessities.
At the same time, condottieri, especially experienced and famous ones, required large financial investments. Often cities or rulers found themselves on the verge of ruin, paying them salaries.
Another disadvantage of mercenary work was that the most important thing for such soldiers was to fulfill the terms of the contract, and questions of morality, patriotism and honor played a lesser role for them. This caused hostility among local residents and even regular armies, who often did not trust the condottieri, considering them ruthless hired killers, ready to fight for profit.
Finally, in the conditions of frequent conflicts, mercenaries, and especially condottieri, became a kind of "military elite" that could threaten even their employers. Some condottieri, like Francesco Sforza, managed to use their influence to seize power.
Eventually, the era of the condottieri began to fade with the emergence of the first regular armies and the strengthening of state structures, which allowed European rulers to reduce their reliance on mercenary troops. Changes in technology and combat tactics, such as the use of firearms, weapons and the strengthening of discipline in the regular troops, made the "professional soldier" less relevant.
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