TED-Ed

The rise and fall of Italy’s warriors-for-hire - Stephanie Honchell Smith (2023x58)

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During the 14th and 15th centuries, mercenaries known as condottieri dominated Italian warfare, profiting from— and encouraging— the region’s intense political rivalries. As rulers competed for power and prestige, their disputes often played out in military conflicts, fought almost entirely by the condottieri. So who were these elite and conniving warriors? Stephanie Honchell Smith investigates. Lesson by Stephanie Honchell Smith, directed by Yael Reisfeld.