Hello, dear scholarly colleagues, students, enthusiasts, etc.

I'm opening this topic for discussion of historical context of The Battle of San Romano triptych, namely - the course battle itself.

I've searched through some internet sources on the subject, and found that most state "the outcome of the battle" to be "somewhat uncertain." Most do agree, however, that the victory was ascribed to Florentines after the intervention of Micheletto Attendolo's cavalry closer to the end of the battle, which, I presume, had overrun the Sienese forces.

Wikipedia article, relying on an Italian source which I am yet to study in detail, states that the Italian forces had consisted of about 4,000 cavalry and 2,000 infantry (before arrival of Attendolo?). Wikipedia also states that in Sienese chronicles, it was considered a victory - which sounds like overplayed propoganda, which I'm certain was applied by both sides after the battle.

Several articles point out that the battle was thought by Condottieri, or mercenary war-leaders who did not politically allude to either party but were there for the profit. Attendolo was one of those.

If you have any facts on the issue, please post.

The pattern of broken lances on the ground (as portrayed in the triptych) suggests a tournament, rather than a battle, and adds an element of sport to the concept of war.

-Interesting observation.

In the mean time, I've found that both sides have been thought by proxy, by hired mercenaries (condottieri) and thier armies, not by actual citizens of the city-states (as been noted with scorn by Machieavelli).

In the aftermath, both sides have twisted the facts to suit their propoganda. The Sienese have "taken loot and inflicted heavy casualties," while the Florentines have, according to the early sources, taken more prisoners then there were, in total, of the Sienese forces involved.

Later, as the facts became known, Florentine written documents have described the whole conflict as one of little importance.

Uccello was 30 miles away from the battlefield, so he might have been influenced by some propogandistic accounts, or, perhaps, since he finished the paintings much later than the actual battle, he came to know the facts but, due to his own sense of nationalism, wanted to portray the "Florentine" forces in the best light.