Italian Medieval Armies 1000–1300

Download or read book Italian Medieval Armies 1000–1300 written by David Nicolle and published by Osprey Publishing. This book was released on 2002-09-18 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As early as the 11th century, Italian warfare was developing along lines which were unique in medieval Europe. This fragmented, cosmopolitan region, increasingly rich from international trade, saw the rise of independent cities able to fund armies of urban militia, sometimes defying the traditional feudal aristocracy. Against this background regional powers - the Normans, the Papacy, the German Emperors, the Angevins and Aragonese - manoeuvred for advantage. This engrossing account of the armies of northern and southern Italy - their organisation, command structure, strategy, tactics and fortifications - is illustrated with rare manuscript images, diagrams of fortifications, and eight striking colour plates showing armour and weapons of all types.