condottiere

made war safe for himself — no killing in the fray, no night attacks, no winter campaigns — and so brought Italy to slavery and contempt.

Recast in definition form from: “They did not attack towns at night nor did they campaign in the winter. thus they have brought Italy to slavery and contempt.”

owning no land of his own kept his credit by selling princes the cavalry they lacked, talked the foot into contempt, and left the militia of Italy so weak that every nation of the North could trample it.

Recast in definition form from: “these adventurers would allow no merit or favour to be due to foot-soldiers, but claimed all for their horsemen has so weakened the militia of Italy, that the country has easily been trampled upon by all the nations of the North.”

condottiere, n.Definitions

condottiere