The Prince and the Condottiero in Italian Humanism and Renaissance: Literature, History, Political Theory, and Art

This volume explores the process of definition, evolution and representation of the figures of the prince and the condottiero in fifteenth- and sixteenth-century Italy: two roles that often appear as interconnected and, in some cases, are embodied by the same political actor. By adopting an interdisciplinary approach and considering different cultural centers (Milan, Florence, Naples, Ferrara, etc.), the contributions in the book examine different forms and genres through which these key political figures have been portrayed and theorised: historical narratives, political treatises, chivalric romances, historical-epic poetry, visual and artistic representations. These media overlap in various ways, but have been rarely considered through a comparative and unified perspective: such a viewpoint allows to highlight synergies, similarities, and specificities of these fields, and help recognize their contribution to the evolution of political ideologies in the Italian Renaissance.