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The rear of the massively fortified Palazzo Pubblico or Town Hall of Siena, built between 1288 and 1309. The top floor of the central section was added in the i6th century while the tower was erected between 1338 and 1348.

year, the Great Company was defeated even on ground of its own choosing. This time, however, the victors were a comparable mercenary force of I talians, Germans and Hungarians under Pandolfo Malatesta. Pandolfo was the first of this famous family to make a name as a condottiere. He was also one of a new breed, the Italian mercenary prince from the rugged Romagna region who offered himself and his military experience in exchange for the wealth denied him by his own poor patrimony. Another such man was Francesco degli Ordelaffi, whose family struggled long and hard to keep their lordship of Forli out of Papai clutches.

English Adventurers

When peace was reached between England and France in 1360, ending the first phase of the Hundred Years War, many English and other troops found themselves stranded. After ravaging the Rhóne valley, about 6,000 accepted the leadership of Albert Sterz, a German, and went to fight for the Duke of Savoy against Milan.

In Italy they were called the White Company, and although the Italians referred to them as Inglesi this company included Germans, French, Scots and Welsh. Their name is said to have reflected the greater amount of piąte armour they wore, which was also kept highly polished and uncovered. A generation or so later armi bianchi, or ‘white armour’, would describe the high ąuality Steel armours worn without permanent coverings in which Milanese armourers excelled.

The dramatic success of the White Company

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