The Wolf of Rimini
Once the Swiss had won their independence and the civil war between Zurich and the cantons ended in 1446, many soldiers who had fought in that war were effectively unemployed. A return to a life eking out a living as a poor farmer or forester held little appeal, and so in the following decades thousands of Swiss men became mercenaries in foreign armies. Italy was a prime destination because the various city states and kingdoms in the peninsula were constantly at war with each other in the fifteenth century. ‘The Wolf of Rimini’ is fiction but could be the story of countless Swiss soldiers who plied their trade as mercenaries in Italy, thousands of whom were killed over the decades and would never see their homeland again.
‘How will history judge you, Leon Muller?’
Fresh from their exploits in Switzerland, Leon and his comrades march south to Italy to fight for the Duchy of Milan against the Republic of Venice. Italy is the most cultured country in Europe, but its politicians, churchmen and generals are cunning and clever as well as learned. And they are expert puppet masters, as Leon and his comrades discover to their cost.
Leon, now a captain, becomes central to the success of the Swiss army but he is also unwittingly manipulated by powerful figures as Swiss fortunes wax and wane. In battle the Swiss are like wolves, but a far more devious and powerful wolf is their enemy and in the battle for northern Italy, tactical victories seem to turn into strategic defeats. And soon the Swiss are despised for their ruthless approach to warfare and face having to flee back to their homeland. Will Leon and his comrades survive their Italian adventure?
‘The Wolf of Rimini’ is the second volume in the ‘Alpine Warrior’ series – the story of Swiss soldier Leon Muller in the wars of the 15th Century when Europe was torn apart by civil, dynastic and imperial conflicts.
Maps of 15th Century Switzerland and the Rhine Valley are available to view and download on the maps page of this website.
