The raids, therefore, were more than an exotic nuisance, but a key factor in Siena's decision to abandon independence in 1399.

John Hawkwood was fourteenth-century Italy's most notorious and successful soldier. A man known for cleverness and daring, he was the most feared mercenary in R

A Companion to Late Medieval and Early Modern Siena introduces the once-powerful commune to a wider audience. Edited by Santa Casciani and Heather Richardson Ha