New Italian Wars Osprey book

[Stuart]

I’m reserving judgement until I see a review 

Here’s the book link and accompanying article

https://ospreypublishing.com/blog/Renaissance_impact_Italian_state_militia?fbclid=IwAR3YPCjLtM-nyTz6iSm3fDTGgNT9z1poaK5F0ypFTXEtTjv8TvPgIvih-GM

[bergschotten]

I had pre ordered it it came last saturday and I must be honest I am more than a little dissapointed, it was okay but thought the text really brought nothing 'new' to the party and the illustrations  were so so-oh for Angus McBride.  Not a review as such more of an initial impression.  Stephen

[SJWi]

I must admit I struggle to see how Osprey can do justice to such a topic in the space constraints of an MAA book. Helion plan 2 136-page books on the same scope.

[Atheling]

I’m reserving judgement until I see a review 

Understandable as the Men at Arms are often impaired content wise due to lack of space. Still, it might be decent

I have of course, just ordered a copy 

[bigredbat]

My copy has arrived- I'm rather pleased with it. :-)   It's a short format, but nice images and there are a few things I didn't know about.

[RichBliss]

Thanks for the heads up.  I just bought the pdf version. I’ll be back with a .25 cent review shortly.

[Charlie_]

I'm surprised Osprey haven't done more books on the late 15th-early 16th centuries... and rather annoyed as it's my favourite historical period!

This could easily have been multiple books in the men-at-arms series, either split chronologically or by nation.

And though they have two books in the excellent Campaign series for the Italian Wars (Fornovo and Pavia), and three WOTR ones (Towton, Tewkesbury and Bosworth), there are so many others they could do in this time frame. The obvious choice would be the Burgundina Wars!

Anyway, 'rant' over, I'm sure I'll be buying this, even if it's just to look at a few pictures.

[Metternich]

Good to see that at least Osprey is giving the subject some attention.  I expect I'll be buying it, even if disappointing.

[Padrissimus]

Ordered. Thanks for the heads up! Hopefully it will inspire me when modelling and painting more figures for my Tilean Warhammer campaign.

[Atheling]

Ordered. Thanks for the heads up! Hopefully it will inspire me when modelling and painting more figures for my Tilean Warhammer campaign.

Mine is due to pop through my letterbox today- if I can find the time i'll give it a read through and report back on the text and pictures.

[SJWi]

My copy arrived yesterday. Given the brief is very broad both in terms of armies involved and time I would say it is is a useful primer.

[Condottiere]

It's by Gabriele Esposito...

Was another primer warranted, when Osprey has covered this in prior titles?

At least with David Nicolle, there would be a focus on gear. Gabriele Esposito, like Nic Fields, does book reports and anyone if his book on the The Late Roman Army is an indicator, don't expect quality.

The arrival of Greek scientists and artists from the Levant brought Italy a great amount of knowledge that had not been destroyed by the Turks and sparked new interest in the ancient civilizations of the Greeks and Romans, of which the Byzantines had been the direct heirs for centuries. Italian culture was deeply affected by these new ideas coming from the east: Byzantine men of culture taught their Italian equivalents how to read and translate ancient Greek languages, whilst all arts were influenced by models from Antiquity.

In 1454, with the signing of the Peace of Lodi, Italy entered into a period of political stability. After decades of internal wars, the Ottoman menace had become apparent and Italians decided to put aside their regional rivalries for peace. For the following 40 years, Italy would enjoy a period of great peace and prosperity that favoured the development of Renaissance ideas and practices. In 1494, however, Charles VIII, King of France decided to invade Italy and this political stability was destroyed. Soon after, other foreign powers joined the fight for possession of the peninsula; which marked the beginning of the long and bloody ‘Italian Wars’, a series of conflicts involving Italian states and other major military powers such as France and Spain. Despite this, 1494-1550 were still important years for the artistic Italian Renaissance with Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raffaello and many others producing great works of art.

In 1559, with the signing of the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis, the Italian Wars ended and Spain emerged as the dominant power on the peninsula while the French were forced to renounce most of their expansionist ambitions. The end of the Italian Wars coincided with the end of the Renaissance: development of knowledge slowed down and Italian art lost its prominence in Europe. New changes were taking place in the World. With the discovery of the New World, the Mediterranean Sea became a secondary market for most international trade and Europe turned its attention to the Atlantic. The Italian states lost most of their political autonomy and became only minor participants in the new international order that was emerging. The immense cultural heritage produced by Italy during the Renaissance, however, had changed the world forever and is still considered today as the fundamental basis of our way of being.

 

Where to begin? I wouldn't be surprised if Charles Oman showed up in the further reading section.

The Lancia of other European countries, like France or Burgundy, comprised of two additional specialized infantrymen who could be archers or crossbowmen (arquebusiers during later times). In Italy, the kind of Lancia with five components never became popular because contingents of specialized infantrymen always remained as a distinct military component in various armies.

From 1464, the Papal Army started to deploy a kind of Lancia with five men (one man-at-arms, two scudieri and two paggi) known as ‘Corazza’ or ‘Cuirass’, but this tactical unit remained a local experiment.

I'd like to know the source for the Papal Lancia, as the corazza never had an infantry component, like the Burgundian lance. Scudieri translates as squires and paggi are pages, so could the former be sergeants or lighter men-at-arms? 

Aside from the Swiss and somewhat the Spanish, the "professional" infantry component of armies were initially secondary to the cavalry. 

Even  though dated  Michael Mallett's Mercenaries and Their Masters is a better introduction and despite its flaws,  Predonzani Massimo and  Vincenzo Alberici's The Italian Wars is a better introduction.