"Mallett and Shaw's The Italian Wars: a review" Topic

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Ah, Michael Mallett. Taught me at Warwick more 'n thirty years gone by ----

Good stuff.

Thanks for posting that review – another book has been added to my "to order" list!

Taught me at Warwick more 'n thirty years gone by

Well, I'm jealous.

A good book. There are two chapters by Mallet on the organization and changes of and to the armies of that era, while the rest is a narrative of the period. It can be daunting to follow all these French, Italian and Spanish leaders, and I have the feeling that the Swiss and Germans get a bit shoved to the side (probably due to a language problem with sources), but overall its just what was lacking for the background of the era.

The book also does not end with 1530 but extends into the era where Italy became a sideshow of the Habsburg/Valois conflict. The account remains well centered on the effects on Italy and its internal dynamics, though, and I learned a lot about this late phase of the war.

Except for the content this is not a page-turner. It is well written, but draws its drive not from the authors skill but from the historical events. If you are interested in the era this book offers an indispensable read, but if you only have casual interest and look for an interesting story first you will probably not be served.

Puster,
I agree regarding the Swiss & Germans, it is clear that the authors have not used more than a few German language sources which is too bad given the rich material available in particular regarding the Swiss participation. The Swiss involvement is still better described than that of Maximilian & Germans which I think should have been covered in greater detail.

Still the Germans get a much better deal than is the in say Oman or Taylor. So for the first time one can read in English about the presence of a large force of Landsknechts in Gonsalvo's army at Cerignola.

True, on Oman and especially Taylor. In the latter case I am quite sure its not only the sources but biase based on the wake of WWI. Contempt for all things German was quite gentlemenlike in the early twenties.

In the case of Shaw/Mallet Frundsberg certainly gets the short end more often then not. His presence in Verona, at the sack of Brescia or at La Motta is totally ignored – he gets only a brushing comment for Bicocca and Pavia and that he practically dug out the Landsknechts army in 26 on his own, mortgaging his family fortune in the process (something that played a part in the later demise of his family, for Charles never repaid him) could have been mentioned – as his continual good cooperation with Pescara in at least three battles. Well, enough on this… the Swiss get it worse.

While reading some Frisian histories I dug out the origin of the Black Band and put it into the Wikipedia article. Not on any academic niveau, but certainly better then the existing stuff. Any criticism would be most welcome.