Condottieri: Most Sought-After Mercenary Captains of the Renaissance

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  • Опубліковано 8 жов 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 118

  • @milkbaologist5610
    @milkbaologist5610 3 дні тому +243

    Mercenary Captain: -10% recruitment cost, +10% income from raiding settlements

    • @Swedishmafia101MemeCorporation
      @Swedishmafia101MemeCorporation 3 дні тому +20

      +50% DRIP

    • @cjthebeesknees
      @cjthebeesknees 2 дні тому +11

      +25% Mamon favor

    • @sojalemmi1515
      @sojalemmi1515 2 дні тому +4

      I hated getting the mercenary captain. Took away a spot for me to get someone really cool later on in life when I was kicking ass

    • @anon2034
      @anon2034 2 дні тому +2

      Medieval 2 Total War?

    • @mitchellanderson3960
      @mitchellanderson3960 День тому +1

      ​@@sojalemmi1515in SS you can swap certain retinue items between characters, mercenary capt was good for a general at unit recruitment center with other unit discount perks and a crusader on a sacking war path to the objective settlement.

  • @eclipse_war5009
    @eclipse_war5009 3 дні тому +140

    I really like the armours that those captains are portrayed with

  • @QuantumHistorian
    @QuantumHistorian 3 дні тому +84

    The difference between the "Sforza" and "Montone" schools looks eerily like the differences between Macedonian-style Phalanx, and Roman-style maniples. Not in equipment, but in the difference between a strong but rigid monolithic formation; and smaller but more flexible rotating ones. Coincidence because there are limited ways of organising heavy melee infantry, or a conscious Renaissance inspiration from antiquity?

    • @MarceloHenriqueSoaresdaSilva
      @MarceloHenriqueSoaresdaSilva 3 дні тому +9

      Its just the natural evolution of warfare as even high middle ages europe (especially with the XII renaissance) have access to ancient graeco-roman military knowledge before the italian renaissance.

    • @MarceloHenriqueSoaresdaSilva
      @MarceloHenriqueSoaresdaSilva 3 дні тому +2

      ^ another thng is that time ERE existed so the europeans are pretty familiarized with Roman tactics and organization fairly early

    • @QuantumHistorian
      @QuantumHistorian 2 дні тому +12

      @@MarceloHenriqueSoaresdaSilva The ERE had moved away from maniples and cohorts a thousand years before Condottiere appeared. It may have been useful in keeping manuscripts alive, but it was not a living example of that type of warfare.

  • @Unomaximus
    @Unomaximus 3 дні тому +23

    SandRhoman you will always be the most consistent and original historical youtuber out here 👍 thank you

  • @philRminiatures
    @philRminiatures 3 дні тому +23

    The armors of this periods are awesome...Great video as usual, informative and so pleasant to watch!

  • @stewlew8449
    @stewlew8449 3 дні тому +49

    Colleoni didn't go unnoticed by me. I sat at the restaurant in that square eating my gnocchi to notice his coat of arms had three testicles on it

    • @anon2034
      @anon2034 2 дні тому +3

      He was a ballsy dude for sure!

    • @gabrielboi3465
      @gabrielboi3465 День тому +6

      By legend he was in fact owner of three testicles. But thats just a legend.
      Its unsure why his family name is Colleoni (litteraly balls, testicles) but it appears they were never ashamed of it and used their heraldic symbol proudly!

    • @anon2034
      @anon2034 День тому +2

      @@gabrielboi3465 Being a mercenary itself means he's a balls-to-the-wall type. :)

  • @BellumCinematicsTotalWar
    @BellumCinematicsTotalWar 2 дні тому +6

    Find someone who will love you as much as SandRoman History loves mercenary companies

  • @sirwolfnsuch
    @sirwolfnsuch 3 дні тому +13

    Good video, as always

  • @tommasobianchi5496
    @tommasobianchi5496 2 дні тому +6

    Just a couple of notes about Giovanni delle Bande Nere, he was a Medici, member of a cadet branch of the ruling family of Florence, his real name was Ludovico di Giovanni De’ Medici and his mother was Caterina Sforza, lady of Forlì and parent to the Sforza of Milan, in fact his uncle was the Duke of Milan. Bande Nere means Black Stripes, the name came from the shields of his soldiers who started to use them after the Pope Leo X died, he was another member of the Medici family. The son of Giovanni, Cosimo, became the first great Duke of Tuscany and is still considered one of the most important figures of the history of Florence

  • @Boric78
    @Boric78 3 дні тому +5

    This series has been very good. I learnt a lot.

  • @bigsarge2085
    @bigsarge2085 2 дні тому +5

    Fascinating, I truly appreciate these documentaries!

  • @benm5913
    @benm5913 2 дні тому +2

    I always appreciate the Early Modern content. You guys are great.

  • @GabrielBelmont4727
    @GabrielBelmont4727 3 дні тому +5

    The pictures are outstanding in this one!

  • @thcdreams654
    @thcdreams654 2 дні тому

    Another great video. Informative, entertaining, interesting and well produced. Thank you.

  • @indridcold1689
    @indridcold1689 2 дні тому

    Always a good dag when sandroman uploads.

  • @samsonsoturian6013
    @samsonsoturian6013 2 дні тому +3

    This problem still exists with arms procurement because of the extreme risks suppliers demand fat profit margins. In one case, Raytheon randomly received an order for rockets so on they no longer had anyone on staff that had made them before and they were obligated to provide them

  • @michaelrredford
    @michaelrredford День тому +2

    Thanks!

  • @DrRedpanda
    @DrRedpanda 3 дні тому +15

    Fascinating glimpse into the world of the condottieri! Their blend of skill and unpredictability truly shaped Italy's military landscape. It's amazing how these mercenary leaders turned the tide of battles and influenced political alliances for centuries. Makes you wonder about the power dynamics in modern warfare!.I also have a history channel and I hope everyone can check it out and give me some feedback so I can improve myself.

  • @AAkCN1
    @AAkCN1 3 дні тому +3

    Cool video! Thanks

  • @Mrkabrat
    @Mrkabrat День тому +1

    "Mercenaries and their Masters" seems like an interesting book, maybe I should ge my hands on it

  • @jacobkonick8889
    @jacobkonick8889 12 годин тому

    Wonderful job!

  • @brokenbridge6316
    @brokenbridge6316 2 дні тому +1

    Nicely informative video

  • @d.m.collins1501
    @d.m.collins1501 День тому

    Make more videos about the Fortebraccios, please! Heck, maybe make a video about Montone, which is still a beautiful little medieval town and deserves a video about its history, especially with the Fortebraccio family but heck, also about WWII.

  • @VainerCactus0
    @VainerCactus0 2 дні тому

    Awesome video, thanks.

  • @Green0-3
    @Green0-3 2 дні тому +1

    Descendant of Braccio here. If you need some muscle, Sand, lemme know. I'll go get the boys.

  • @rudman97
    @rudman97 2 дні тому +3

    Geovanni Giustiniani Longo
    The fugitive, notorious condottieri and his team that Constantinople could offer against the Janissary army of Mehmed the Conqueror.

  • @Unomaximus
    @Unomaximus 3 дні тому +1

    Thanks!

  • @narkerns
    @narkerns 2 дні тому

    Great stuff, as always :)

  • @ramiromen6595
    @ramiromen6595 2 дні тому +5

    Carmagnola is my personal fav: he walked the walk from child soldier all the way to count and almost duke of Milan.
    Then he was killed for greed but such is life.

  • @blake-81
    @blake-81 2 дні тому +1

    Watching this, my brain was constantly going "Hmm.... yes, is this the late-to-end game of Mount & Blade, or Battle Brothers." :P

  • @vardekpetrovic9716
    @vardekpetrovic9716 2 дні тому +1

    Werner of Urslingen was so famous for his missdeeds that in Swedish a person that behaves in such bad manners are called a "Usling". Quote from L Petri "Hans barn fare hwswill och tigge, och sökte berning såsom vslingar." Note that before the spelling reforms of Gustav Vasa the "U" Sound was spelled with a V instead, like in classical latin.

  • @clintmoor422
    @clintmoor422 3 дні тому +5

    so, this is the continuation of the mercenary company videos?

  • @Greatbattlehistory
    @Greatbattlehistory День тому

    i like your content in this video

  • @goober-112
    @goober-112 День тому

    This might be slightly out of the period-scope of your channel, but I've always wanted to see a documentary-type video covering the Polish Lancers (or Uhlans), and no, I am NOT referring to the "Winged Hussars". I'm talking about the true rivals to the Cossacks, and the only unit to ever be a match for them- often being used by Russia, Austria, Prussia, even France (under Napoleon) to keep the Cossacks in check.
    And since you have done a video about the Cossacks, I think it'd be interesting. Polish Lancers are really an underrated unit in history, often forgotten.

    • @katon44
      @katon44 17 годин тому

      that's one from anty poland's history account (might be wrong,there're a few similar history's account like this one) - keep away from mentioning about poland's history as long as possible

  • @incorrectbeans
    @incorrectbeans 3 дні тому +8

    No one:
    My brain: The Golden Age of Conductors

  • @justinhess2747
    @justinhess2747 2 дні тому

    Interesting content on mercenaries

  • @Levacque
    @Levacque 2 дні тому +3

    The advertisement I got on this video was possibly the most ironic possible match UA-cam could make for a mercenary video - it started with the quote, "This is a support group for men's mental health."
    Is it too much of a stretch to think that 14th century men would see career soldiery as a healthy mental exercise?

  • @lerneanlion
    @lerneanlion 2 дні тому +4

    Have there ever be incidents where the Condottieri decided to seize powers for themselves and establish hegemony over the city-states they seized as alternative for payments in fashion similar to Muhammad Ali of Egypt centuries later? If so, how long did they last?

    • @joshuawiest5091
      @joshuawiest5091 2 дні тому +2

      There are a number of instances of Condottiere seizing power of various cities. Niccolò Piccinino seized power over Bologna in 1442, after making a deal with the Pope. He was ousted in 1443 by Annibale Bentivoglio, and the Bentivogleschi faction.
      Braccio del Montone was carving out an empire for himself before he was stopped by Jacapo Caldora at l'Aquila.
      Francesco Sforza conquered a large part of the Marche before the Pope and Francesco Maria Visconti took back most of his holdings.
      That's just a few.

    • @v4enthusiast541
      @v4enthusiast541 2 дні тому +1

      It didn't happen in Italy, but there is the case of the notorious Catalan company that got hired in the 1270s by Byzantium. They ended up occupying the area around Athens for ~50 years.

  • @NoName-hg6cc
    @NoName-hg6cc 3 дні тому +6

    Italians states had enough money to build a citizens army.
    But since there was not foreign threat (yet) they thought it was more convenient to pay for mercenaries. When a threat arrived, France, called by Milan Duke, they were still bickering. It was only when the King of France passed throught Italy with ease Signori understood the danger and united (well, kinda) to win a battle of Fornovo (the King was able to escape but it left everything and had to escape in the night).
    It didn't last. When foreigners returned, Italians didn't unite again and Italy fell under the foot of foreign powers until 1800

    • @samsonsoturian6013
      @samsonsoturian6013 2 дні тому

      The difference between a merc and a soldier is a middleman. Italian states were more like corporations than nations and the security contractors they hired sometimes really were loyal to the company

    • @LAHFaust
      @LAHFaust 2 дні тому +1

      ​@@samsonsoturian6013exactly. Just before the timeline of this video, Friedrich II would spend practically his entire reign fighting against Lombard states which used mostly civilian militias instead of mercenaries. I wouldn't be surprised if the demographic shock from the nearly 2 centuries of fighting off the HRE was a factor in the decision to switch to mercenary forces.

    • @KaiHung-wv3ul
      @KaiHung-wv3ul 2 дні тому +2

      @@LAHFaust Also not just fighting the HRE, while the north Italian city states were pretty unified when fighting Barbarossa, by the time of Freddy II they are as often as not fighting each other between the supporters of the Emperor and the Pope.

    • @poil8351
      @poil8351 День тому +1

      there were a couple of exceptions in particular Genoa and Venice who made use of their own citizens soldiers especially at sea becuase both had fairly large colonial interests and large fleets and need to defend them.

    • @NoName-hg6cc
      @NoName-hg6cc День тому

      @@samsonsoturian6013 I don't know if I can agree with your definition of Italian states as corporations, but you are right some troops were loyal

  • @christiann.1541
    @christiann.1541 2 дні тому

    I really like this time period about the Italian city states.

  • @EzekielDeLaCroix
    @EzekielDeLaCroix 3 дні тому +11

    oh hell yeah, I love studying medieval and renaissance racketeering.

    • @cjthebeesknees
      @cjthebeesknees 2 дні тому

      Ain’t sh*t changed, if you’d direct your attention to: Plausible Deniability please.

    • @EzekielDeLaCroix
      @EzekielDeLaCroix 2 дні тому

      @@cjthebeesknees *beats up*

    • @cjthebeesknees
      @cjthebeesknees 2 дні тому

      @@EzekielDeLaCroix good goy, here’s 30 silver shekels.

    • @samsonsoturian6013
      @samsonsoturian6013 2 дні тому

      Not necessarily a racket. Many of these companies were loyal to specific states

    • @samsonsoturian6013
      @samsonsoturian6013 2 дні тому

      ​@cjthebeesknees what are you talking about?

  • @Visavislespoir
    @Visavislespoir 12 годин тому

    Cool vid

  • @Arcadius-ss3zp
    @Arcadius-ss3zp 3 дні тому +4

    Love your work. It always keeps me interested in history, especially in military history. Please continue with single battles videos or videos focusing on armies like the Spanish Army of Flanders from the 80 years war. Love your dedication to your work, keep it up.

  • @NoPantsBaby
    @NoPantsBaby 3 дні тому +11

    Imagine being alive in those times. You're just sitting around having a drink in your local ale house in Bavaria. Suddenly a dude on a horse rides along telling you to sign up for his private army, he needs you to help him sack Florence.

  • @theguy442
    @theguy442 2 дні тому

    They are also a good unique unit against gunpowder units in the imperial age.

  • @diebesgrab
    @diebesgrab 2 дні тому +2

    So in other words, Condottieri were part-time contractors.

  • @ShyamRamkumar-s3r
    @ShyamRamkumar-s3r День тому

    What is the name of the background music at 9:30?

  • @jonathanwilliams1065
    @jonathanwilliams1065 3 дні тому

    His name sounds like he’s going to mark you an offer you can’t refuse

  • @ciuyr2510
    @ciuyr2510 2 дні тому

    Honeyed cat. Now thats a nickname

  • @GarfieldRex
    @GarfieldRex 2 дні тому +1

    Was handsome John Hawkwood's White Company and the 100 years war an influence for Griffith in Berserk? :v

  • @Thraim.
    @Thraim. 2 дні тому

    Venice never saw a mercenary group they didn't want to hire 😂

  • @ScarletRebel96
    @ScarletRebel96 День тому

    Wish mercenary work was still common these days

  • @Mojo-IRE
    @Mojo-IRE 3 дні тому

    I haven't gotten to watch this yet (love the channel) but I'd wager a certain Mr Hawkwood will get a mention.

  • @Mon_Idle
    @Mon_Idle 2 дні тому

    Was that Roman looking knight armour historical at that time?

    • @samsonsoturian6013
      @samsonsoturian6013 2 дні тому

      That is not remotely Roman

    • @Mon_Idle
      @Mon_Idle День тому

      @@samsonsoturian6013 yea but you know what I mean it got them leather flaps and stuff

  • @seanculligan8592
    @seanculligan8592 2 дні тому

    I live in Emilia-Romagna. I guess that during the golden age of condottieri Bologna was always a part of the papal states?

  • @ronnychristenjoyer6778
    @ronnychristenjoyer6778 2 дні тому

    The urge to play as a mercenary leader in CK3 intensifies

  • @beepboop204
    @beepboop204 2 дні тому

  • @michaelmcnally9737
    @michaelmcnally9737 3 дні тому

    Contractors used to fight wars. Now all they do is build houses.

    • @samsonsoturian6013
      @samsonsoturian6013 2 дні тому +1

      The only difference between a merc and a soldier is a middleman.

  • @MBP1918
    @MBP1918 2 дні тому

    The cowboys of Italy

  • @alessandrofiorella6530
    @alessandrofiorella6530 2 дні тому

    The map at 5:51 isn’t correct

  • @MM22966
    @MM22966 День тому

    Maybe someday they'll build a statue of Prigozhin the same way they did famous Italian condottieri!
    Pffffftt!!! Hahahahhahaha!

  • @francescomaccioni3460
    @francescomaccioni3460 2 дні тому

    👍

  • @elshebactm6769
    @elshebactm6769 3 дні тому +1

    🗿👍

  • @mariushunger8755
    @mariushunger8755 2 дні тому

    Soo, they were italian landsknechts?

    • @poil8351
      @poil8351 День тому

      um no the landskenchts were far more brutal and ruthless.

  • @warweezel
    @warweezel 2 дні тому

    😒 “warlords”
    😏 “military entrepreneurs”

  • @alepaz1099
    @alepaz1099 15 годин тому

    "...He was thrown out of a window" 🤔
    sounds vaguely Russian 🤷‍♂

  • @samsonsoturian6013
    @samsonsoturian6013 2 дні тому

    One subtle factor is Italy was both wealthy and broken to the point where private corporations often overshadow geographically defined states

  • @iseeyou5061
    @iseeyou5061 3 дні тому +1

    18:11 Another case of Italian and Sicilian divde 💀

  • @smoath
    @smoath 3 дні тому

    .

  • @gobanito
    @gobanito 3 дні тому +1

    Condottieri, Arguably the most unreliable and most treacherous fighting men in history.

  • @TheEudaemonicPlague
    @TheEudaemonicPlague 2 дні тому

    Either you're using "AI" images, or have an artist who can't do horses right. Many of the images look weird...so, which is it, "AI", or incompetent artist? Most of the images are ok, but that guy who appears on a brown horse that shows up several times I think, but I noticed the problem horse at 19:00. The background is peculiar, too. I hope it isn't a human...if it is, they ought to be embarrassed.

    • @paulbukowiecki1213
      @paulbukowiecki1213 2 дні тому

      Have you seen the people as well some of the side characters are weird it's more for reference than reality. The main thing would be the gear they wear and the faces being accurate. Everything else feels like the art of the time period.