The Spanish Tercio in Italy: Gonzalo de Córdoba and the Birth of Modern Warfare

Long before the tercios dominated the battlefields of Flanders and Germany, their tactics were forged in the rugged mountains of southern Italy. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the early career of Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, the 'Great Captain,' whose innovative use of arquebusiers, pike squares, and entrenchments shattered French heavy cavalry at the Battles of Seminara (1495) and Cerignola (1503). They discuss how the combination of Swiss-style pike formations, Genoese crossbowmen, and Spanish light infantry evolved into the classic tercio model, and how the Italian Wars provided the crucible for Spain's military revolution. Along the way, they touch on the role of condottieri, the fortress of Barletta, and the famous 'Desafío de Barletta' – a chivalric duel that echoed the old world vanishing before gunpowder. This episode connects the Spanish military system to the broader story of early modern state formation and imperial power. #SpanishTercio #GonzaloDeCórdoba #ItalianWars #Cerignola #Seminara #Barletta #GreatCaptain #MilitaryHistory #PikeAndShot #RenaissanceWarfare #Condottieri #Spain #Italy #15thCentury #16thCentury #History #FexingoHistory #EuropeanHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo