English condottiere (mercenary leader) in Milan. In the early 16th century it was briefly ruled by the condottiere Gian Giacomo Medici. It portrays the life of Giovanni de' Medici, a celebrated condottiere of the sixteenth century. He fought against the Barbary pirates in Italy as a Condottiere. Monte was a "condottiere" who served in many armies with his military skill. Matteo Acquaviva, condottiere and man of letters. Ulrich served as a condottiere, a military contractor lending his services to more powerful lords.