Medieval and modern times : an introduction to the history of western Europe form the dissolution of the Roman empire to the present time . ong themselveslargely by means of hired troops. When a military expeditionwas proposed, a bargain was made with one of the professionalleaders (condottieri), who provided the necessary force. As thesoldiers had no more interest in the conflict than did those whom Medieval Towns — their Business and Buildings 227 they opposed, who were likewise hired for the occasion, thefight was not usually very bloody; for the object of each sidewas to capture the other
Medieval and modern times : an introduction to the history of western Europe form the dissolution of the Roman empire to the present time . ong themselveslargely by means of hired troops. When a military expeditionwas proposed, a bargain was made with one of the professionalleaders (condottieri), who provided the necessary force. As thesoldiers had no more interest in the conflict than did those whom Medieval Towns — their Business and Buildings 227 they opposed, who were likewise hired for the occasion, thefight was not usually very bloody; for the object of each sidewas to capture the other without unnecessarily rough treatment. It sometimeshappened that theleader who hadconquered a townfor his employerappropriated thefruits of the vic^tory for occurred inthe case of Milanin 1450. The oldline of despots(the Visconti)having died out,the citizens hireda certain captain,named FrancescoSforza, to assistthem in a waragainst Venice,whose possessionsnow extended al-most to thoseof Milan. WhenSforza had repelledthe Venetians, theMilanese found itimpossible to getrid of him, andhe and his succes-sors became rulers. —.. *.u^ Fig. 65. Tomb of an Italian Despot The family of the Visconti maintained them-selves many years as despots of Milan. GianGaleazzo Visconti began in 1396 a magnificentCarthusian monastery not far from Milan, one ofthe most beautiful structures in Italy. Here,long after his death, a monument was erected tohim as founder of the monastery. The monu-ment was begun about 1500 but not completed 228 Medieval and Modem Times MachiavelliiPrince Florence The Medici Lorenzo theMagnificent An excellent notion of the position and policy of the Italiandespots may be derived from a little treatise called The Prince,written by the distinguished Florentine historian, writer appears to have intended his book as a practicalmanual for the despots of his time. It is a cold-blooded discus-sion of the ways in which a usurper may best retain his
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