Through countless experiences». The masters of artillery in fifteenth-Century Italy

This article aims to examine the technical innovations and the cultural exchanges carried out by the Italian gunmakers during the whole fifteenth century. The examination of the context will reveal a special interest of rulers in the institution of permanent military offices, in the experimentation of new weapons, and in the management of arms manufacture. The balance sheets and the correspondence of public authorities, as well as the account books and the products of artisans, will form the archival basis for the analysis. Figures and information will allow the reconstruction of the travels, the contracts, the competences, and the networks of numerous craftsmen. The results of the research will highlight both the role of the masters in the dissemination of original technologies and the policies pursued by Italian states for attracting and supporting their skilled labor.