Political exiles were a prominent feature of political life during the Renaissance, often a source of intense concern to the states from which they were banished, and a ready instrument for governments wishing to intervene in the affairs of their rivals and enemies. This book provides the first systematic analysis of the role of exiles in the political life of fifteenth-century Italy. It also provides fresh perspectives on the nature and power of governments during this period, and on ideas about the legitimacy of political authority and political action.