ITALIAN WARRIORS

In the period of the full (10th-13th centuries) and late (14th-15th centuries) the Middle Ages, today's Italy was politically very fragmented, and at the same time - from the 11th / 12th centuries - its northern part grew rich relatively quickly. This political fragmentation influenced numerous wars between individual states or even Italian cities, and the wealth of the Peninsula. Apennine was especially attracted by the rulers of the German Reich, with whom numerous armed conflicts were fought in this area also in the 12th-13th centuries. Over the course of the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries, the troops of individual Italian city-states consisted of a small number of feudal knights (which, moreover, often lived in cities!), City militias, or mercenary troops, which from around 1300 began to be called condottiere. In the latter case, there are significant differences in the weaponry, but crossbows were used most often as a throwing weapon, and less often bows. The basis, however, was heavily armed infantry armed with a wheeled weapon (often pikes) and well armored. Light infantry armed mainly with swords and much less armored were also often used. From the fourteenth century, firearms were used in today's Italy - both hand and fire artillery. It is worth adding that due to the great development of armor, in the area of Apennine in the 13th-15th centuries, great plate armor and other types of armor were produced. In the fifteenth century, a barbut helmet and a salada were also widespread in this area.