22
votes
Why are the ground floors windows of northern Italian palazzi often barred up?
So what where these barred windows protecting against? Theft / burglary? Angry mobs with pitchforks? Feuds/wars with rival families?
Yes.
A little more seriously, in the case of the specific example ...
- 39.7k
9
votes
Why are the ground floors windows of northern Italian palazzi often barred up?
If I may: I am Italian and live in northern Italy. It seems to me that most houses here have bars on their ground floor windows. I live in a small village and my house has bars on the ground floor ...
- 91
9
votes
Accepted
How much did cannon cost in 1410?
I don't want to recite all the disclaimers and caveats from comments all over again. This is a little like asking what a car costs in the United States in the twentieth century, where the range is so ...
- 833
4
votes
Did Dukes, Counts, Barons, etc. have courts similar to a King/Emperor?
Yes, absolutely - but perhaps not quite as described in Crusader Kings. (I am unfamiliar with this game.)
First, let's make clear that a "Court" is, primarily, a "court"; the place ...
- 72.6k
4
votes
Why are the ground floors windows of northern Italian palazzi often barred up?
The prominent families in Renaissance Florence, the Pazzi, the Strozzi, and most notably were bankers. Don't think of them like the manager of your local bank: these guys played hardball. The Pazzi ...
- 231
3
votes
What could be the origin of this polychrome wooden statue?
As far as I can tell by the style, this statue would be at least post 14th-century, maybe even later. The head seems wearing a tiara 1, meaning it could be a pope. I've seen some of these (very ...
- 1,624
2
votes
What is the association of the 4 playing card suits and the Mamluks?
My opinion is based on most common offices held by Mamluks sultan’s entourage: the cup with the cupbearer (saqi), the polo clubs with the polo master (jukandar), the sword with the arms bearer (...
- 21
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