Böcker av Bruno Mugnai

Explores the evolution of the German military system post-Peace of Westphalia, detailing its development, role in Europe, and the unique defensive political culture of the German states.After the Peace of Westphalia, several German states developed a disciplined 'Military' that produced outstanding armies. Germany supplied mercenary troops to major and minor powers in Europe, and the military state, usually exemplified by Prussia, became a crucial part of German history.However, Germany was apparently weak and internally divided into a multitude of states that constantly faced a hostile environment formed by belligerent great powers. Moreover, the German 'Military' was the resultant system of collective security, internal conflict and resolution that allowed a rich variety of political traditions to coexist relatively harmoniously. This system tried to preserve Germany against formidable attacks without making it a danger to the security of its neighbors. In contrast to the political culture of later German states, that of the 'Reich' was inherently defensive, preferring peace to war in both domestic politics and external relations. The book deals with the armies of the German Empire for the first time in a single book, with unpublished iconography and after extensive research in the German archives.Praise for previous volumes of Wars and Soldiers in the Early Reign of Louis XIV: 'This book is a must for anyone even partially interested in the Imperial army during the late seventeenth century. The level of detail must be highly commended, the author has gone to great lengths in researching this volume and it shows throughout the volume.' - Arquebusier'This book is extremely detailed, and highly useful for historians, the inquisitive, war gamers and figure modelers.' - IPMS/USA

In the 17th century, Italy was the third-largest country by population in Europe, after France and Germany, passing into second position for a century after 1650. Northern as well as southern Italy constituted a key place in the strategic duel between Spain and France, and the Peninsula lied on the front line in the struggle against the Ottoman Empire. Moreover, Italian states constituted good examples of fairly efficient governance machines, which developed many matters, included the 'Military'. Some of these states experienced long periods of wars, to the point that the claim regarding social elites progressively demilitarized to an unequaled extent anywhere else in Europe should be considered no longer valid.This second volume looks at the armies of the lesser Italian States. The armies of Genoa, the Papal States, Tuscany, Parma, Modena, Mantua, Lucca, and many others are all examined in detail never before seen in the English language. This volume also covers the nature and execution of military affairs and war in Italy. The book is lavishly illustrated and comes with 16 especially commissioned color plates drawn by the author himself.

In this volume the Italian armies are introduced from the 'major powers' to the small states based on archive resources and unpublished iconography.

The story, organisation, uniforms and equipment of the Spanish and Portuguese armies in the period 1660-1687 are dealt for the first time in a single book, after archive's sources and unpublished iconography.

Organization, composition and history of the army of the Sublime Porte in the age of the maximum expansion of the Empire.

After more than half-a-century of wars in Hungary, the conflict between the Habsburgs and the Sublime Porte explodes in 1593, after a series of border incidents. The confrontation was soon regarded as crucial by both sides, also involving the neighbouring states in a complex and ruthless game of diplomacy and betrayal. The organization and the equipment of the various armies of the protagonists of those campaigns are treated together, along with the military operations, and the warfare of the first modern conflict in Eastern Europe.

"Fue en España donde mi generación aprendió que uno puede tener razón y ser vencido, que la fuerza puede destruir el alma, y que a veces el coraje no obtiene recompensa." Albert CamusEl 22 de septiembre de 1938, en medio de las encarnizadas luchas sobre el Ebro, con la vana ilusión de obtener como contrapartida la retirada de los contingentes italianos y alemanes, el Gobierno de la República comunicó la decisión de retirar del frente todos los voluntarios internaciones y pidió la creación de una comisión para controlar la efectiva retirada de todos los combatientes extranjeros.Con este acto se claudicaba la epopeya de los voluntarios internacionales y el nacimiento de otro de los más grandes y extraordinarios mitos del siglo XX. Y aunque hoy en día la mayoría de los protagonistas de estos eventos han ya desaparecido, la aventura de "los mejores hombres en el mundo" continúa despertando el interés de los especialistas y de los apasionados de la historia. Aquí se propone una contribución actualizada de la historia militar de estas formaciones antifascistas.

" ... "La Spagna ci ha insegnato che si può aver ragione ma essere battuti, che la forza bruta può sconfiggere lo spirito e che il coraggio da solo non basta…" Albert CamusIl 22 settembre 1938 - nel mezzo dei furiosi combattimenti sull'Ebro - nella vana illusione di ottenere come contropartita il ritiro dei contingenti italiano e tedesco, il governo della Repubblica Spagnola comunicò la decisione di richiamare dal fronte tutti i volontari internazionali e chiese la costituzione di una commissione per controllare l'effettivo ritiro di tutti i combattenti stranieri.Con questo atto si chiudeva l'epopea dei volontari internazionali e la nascita di uno dei più straordinari miti del Novecento. Nonostante i protagonisti di quelle vicende siano oggi quasi tutti scomparsi, l'avventura de 'los mejores hombres en el mundo' continua a destare l'interesse degli specialisti e degli appassionati di storia e viene qui riproposta per un contributo aggiornato alla storia militare delle formazioni antifasciste.

The Army of the House of Austria and its evolution during the wars against the Porte and France.

The Army of Louis XIV is frequently depicted as being the apogee of the early modern standing army. It was large, well organised and the product of the French Absolutist Monarchy. The result was the creation of an entirely original instrument of war unlike any other European armies.

The army and the navy of Venice and Ottoman Empire during the campaigns fought for the possession of the 'pearl of the Mediterranean'. The legendary Venetian resistance impressed the courts of whole Europe, transforming the conflict in the 'Campo di Marte' of the continent.