The Golden Age of Free Companies

Renaissance Italy was marked by both continuous warfare and economic growth. Against this backdrop arose the Condotta, the contract system of hiring mercenaries, which was arguably the most distinct characteristic of the period. Initially, soldiers hired themselves out to the highest bidder as “free lances,” the lance being the smallest unit of army organization at the time. This is the origin of the modern term “freelancer.” However, these soldiers soon formed entire mercenary companies led by elected leaders, such as John Hawkwood, who were seen as first among equals. The powerful and wealthy Italian cities, enriched by their monopoly on maritime trade with the East, could easily hire these companies, but they soon learned that doing so often brought more problems than they had bargained for. Known as Free Companies or Great Companies, these mercenary groups saw themselves as independent, self-governing adventurers always on the lookout for the most lucrative offer. A rich Italian city, they soon realized, was a worthwhile target to plunder. It was not long until they would become the bane of Italy. In this video, we investigate the phenomenon of Free Companies and how they were eventually replaced by the arguably more famous mercenary captains, the condottieri. Patreon (thank you):   / sandrhomanhistory   Paypal (thank you: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/SandR... Twitter:   / sandrhoman   "The White Company" by Arthur Conan Doyle: https://amzn.to/445P89t "Mercenaries and Their Masters" by Michael Mallett https://amzn.to/3vR5XZ1 "The Great Companies" by Kenneth Fowler: https://amzn.to/3JhbZFl Some must read mlitary history books: Ambrose, S. E., Band of Brothers: E Company, 2001. https://amzn.to/438ltvZ Baime, A. J., The Accidental President: Harry S. Truman, 2017. https://amzn.to/3TcDGUj Beard, M., Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman World, 2023. https://amzn.to/49L2olR Bevoor, A., Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege: 1942-1943, 1999. https://amzn.to/4a4rqwe Beevor, A., The Second World War, 2013. https://amzn.to/3wNFITu Brennan, P+D., Gettysburg in Color, 2022. https://amzn.to/48LGldG Clausewitz, C., On War, 2010. https://amzn.to/3Vblf5 Kaushik, R., A Global History of Pre-Modern Warfare: 10,000 BCE–1500 CE, 2021. https://amzn.to/49Mtqt7 McPherson, J., Battle Cry of Freedom, The Civil War Era, 2021. https://amzn.to/3TseYAW Tsu, S., The Art of War, 2007, https://amzn.to/3TuknHA Sledge. E. B., With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa, 2008. https://amzn.to/439olIK Pomerantsev, P., How to Win an Information War, 2024. https://amzn.to/3Ts0YqQ Bibliography: Caferro, W., Articles, Warfare and Economy in Renaissance Italy, 1350-1450, In: The Journal of Interdisciplinary History vol. 39 (2008) p. 167-210. Caferro, William P., Hawkwood: Florentine Hero and Faithful Englishman, in: The Hundred Years War. Different vistas p. 295-328. Caferro, William P., "The fox and the lion": the White Company and the Hundred Years War in Italy, In: The Hundred Years War. A wider focus, 2005 p. 179-210. Caferro, William P., Slaying the hydra-headed beast: Italy and the companies of adventure in the fourteenth century, In: Crusaders, condottieri and cannon, 2003, p. 285-304. Fowler, K., Medieval Mercenaries, 2001. Mallet, M., Mercenaries and their Master. Warfare in Renaissance Italy, 1974. Mallet, M. s. v. Mercenaries in: Maurice Keen, Medieval Warfare. A history, 1999, pp. 209-229. Savy, N. s. v. Great Company, in Clifford J. Rogers, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Medieval Warfare and Military Technology, 2010. Knödler, J., s. v. Brabancons in Clifford J. Rogers, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Medieval Warfare and Military Technology, 2010. #history #documentary #education