Tra necessità bellica ed innovazione tecnologica. La formazione dei 'maestri di polvere' fiorentini nel Quattrocento

Through the documentation of the military archives of the Florentine Republic, this article examines the careers of craftsmen who manufactured gunpowder, an essential commodity for conducting the fifteenth century war. The analysis will focus on the different training paths and practical cultures of these “powder masters”. The results will highlight the impact of war on employment prospects, emphasising the role of the state in increasing qualitative standards and output levels of gunpowder manufacture.