European Warfare During the Renaissance

[Dane Hendricksen]

I’m Looking for some historical information for a “world 2” history class. I’m writing a paper about famous battles, weapons, military tactics, leaders, anything to do with war in Europe, (particularly Italy,) the times between the early 14 to late 1600s. I figured, “where better to ask than here?”
So I was wondering if anybody out there would be so kind as send me link to a good website, recommend a good book or give me some cool facts or a story?

Thanx a million!

-D.M.H.

[Ian Macintyre]

Thats a big time frame with a massive change in, equipment, tactics and even political cause. It includes the Scottish Wars of Independence all the way to the French Revolutionary wars which are massively different.

I would narrow the scope.

[Dane Hendricksen]

Ok, how about basing the report on Italy? I could finding info on some famous battles and do a breaf discrption on who they were fighting and what they were up agenst, you know, that sorf of thing.

[Jean Binck]

Originally posted by Dane Hendricksen
Ok, how about basing the report on Italy? I could finding info on some famous battles and do a breaf discrption on who they were fighting and what they were up agenst, you know, that sorf of thing.

Dane,

During the Renaissance period, Italy is a word that meant nearly nothing. The country that we know now as Italy was then a constellation of little states with more or less power. I would say that some of the major powers of the area were Florence, Venice, Naples, Genoa...
I suggest that you use a search engine like google with these keywords (example: Florence + History) and you will probably find some material for your work.

Greetings from Europe,
Jean

[Robert C]

That was a very violent period in Italian history and yet at the same time a very creative one since that was the birth of the renaissance. The was a town that was the scene of so many battles that the people left despite pleas and threats for them to stay.The wars were as numerous as the political intrigues and the power base often involved the church. It would be best to stick to a shorter period of time and just one of the city states. A discussion of Florence and the Medici alone would keep you very busy. You could even do a study of Leonardo da Vinci and all his war machines and tactics.

[Allen Reed]

Originally posted by Jean Binck
Dane,

During the Renaissance period, Italy is a word that meant nearly nothing. The country that we know now as Italy was then a constellation of little states with more or less power. I would say that some of the major powers of the area were Florence, Venice, Naples, Genoa...
I suggest that you use a search engine like google with these keywords (example: Florence + History) and you will probably find some material for your work.

Greetings from Europe,
Jean

If you're talking about politics/warfare in Renaissance Italy don't forget about the Vatican. The Pope held a great deal of territory at the time.

After all the Pope didn't originally hire the Swiss Guard to just stand around and look pretty.

Allen

[Dane Hendricksen]

Originally posted by Robert C
That was a very violent period in Italian history and yet at the same time a very creative one since that was the birth of the renaissance. The was a town that was the scene of so many battles that the people left despite pleas and threats for them to stay.The wars were as numerous as the political intrigues and the power base often involved the church. It would be best to stick to a shorter period of time and just one of the city states. A discussion of Florence and the Medici alone would keep you very busy. You could even do a study of Leonardo da Vinci and all his war machines and tactics.

Thanks for all the help guys, I really like the Da Vinci war machines idea that you submited, Robert.

[Larry Tom]

Originally posted by Dane Hendricksen
I’m Looking for some historical information for a “world 2” history class. I’m writing a paper about famous battles, weapons, military tactics, leaders, anything to do with war in Europe, (particularly Italy,) the times between the early 14 to late 1600s. I figured, “where better to ask than here?”
So I was wondering if anybody out there would be so kind as send me link to a good website, recommend a good book or give me some cool facts or a story?

Thanx a million!

-D.M.H.

Hi Dane:

Two very good books that are readily available at stores like Borders, or Barnes & Nobles are:

The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe by Sydney Anglo, and The Renaissance at War by Thomas Arnold

Both books are very good reads.

Regards
Larry

[Dave Ogan]

....i thought i remember reading something about the only armies being mercenaries, and when they fought "battles", they would be grandiose and bloodless, and as a result, someone foreign came in and kicked their teeth in.......

[Piotr Wylezol]

lots of things happened in central and estern europe and prabably western world knows very little about this so it mnight be intresting :> (battle of Grunwald in 1410 then all wars Republic(Polish and Lithuania Commonwelth) aginst crusaders then aginst russia and turkey and also last crusade made by Polish king Wladyslaw Warnenczyk (he died in battle of Warna), completly diffrent culture opposite to western europe... )
IMO good books about C&E Europe are written by Norman Davies (i read Polish translation of his Europe and i find it veeeery good)