condottiere

He's a species of condottiere; we can buy his allegiance with his service: and we must forego the sentimental objection.

From The Quality of Mercy by William Dean Howells

He had died at eighty, as lusty and hard and sound an old condottiere as any other professional fighter who bestrode a bronze horse in an Italian piazza.

From Rough-Hewn by Dorothy Canfield

Seeing that the indignation of her mistress merely amused the condottiere the dwarf took a cajoling tone.

From Romance of Roman Villas (The Renaissance) by Elizabeth W. (Elizabeth Williams) Champney

Cosimo dei Medici now allied himself with the great condottiere, Francesco Sforza, and aided him with money to make good his claims upon the Duchy of Milan.

From The Story of Florence by Edmund G. Gardner

Later we behold in him a papal nepot-prince in whom the Pope endeavored to embody all mundane power and honor; he made him his condottiere, his warder, his body-guard, and, finally, his worldly heir.

From Lucretia Borgia According to Original Documents and Correspondence of Her Day by Ferdinand Gregorovius

Xenophon became in essence a mercenary lord, somewhat like the condottieri of Renaissance Italy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

Like the humanist condottieri of 15th century Italy, they built themselves impregnable and magnificent castles.

From Time Magazine Archive

The chosen electors went about that serious task with all the noble intent and show of national interest of a group of condottieri.

From Time Magazine Archive

This man, as I said, having been named by the Syracusans commander of their armies, immediately realized that mercenary forces were useless, since their condottieri were men like our Italian condottieri.

From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli

As a result, these condottieri have conducted Italy into slavery and disgrace.

From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli