The military revolution thesis: a comparative analysis of early modern Siena, Mantua and Valletta

Abstract

The Military Revolution thesis has traditionally been associated with large states which embraced its changes and achieved hegemonic status, while small states have generally been thought to lack the pre-requisites required to benefit from the Revolution resulting in their marginalisation. This paper attempts to offer an alternative dimension to the great-power centric narrative of the Military Revolution thesis through the comparative analysis of three small states, Siena, Mantua, and Malta, with a particular focus on Valletta. This short paper is inadequate to explore the full range of the Military Revolution thus the study will be constrained to a single important element within the thesis; a comparative evaluation of the trace italienne fortifications of Siena, Mantua, and Valletta, and whether these lessened the viability of small states, as the case of Siena suggests, or bolstered it, as demonstrated by Mantua during the 1620’s. The inclusion of Valletta’s enceinte seeks to add a third element to this discussion, shedding light both on the viability of the trace italienne as well as Malta’s situation relative to other small states.