Sir John Hawkwood (1320-1394) was an English mercenary or condottiere in the 14th century Italy. Jean Froissart knew him as Haccoude and Macchiavelli and Italians as Giovanni Acuto. Hawkwood served first the Pope and then various factions in Italy for over 30 years. Events January 20 - Dante - Quaestio de Aqua et Terra January 20 - Duke Wladyslaw Lokietek becomes king of Poland April 6 - The Scots reaffirm their independence by signing the Declaration of Arbroath. ... // Events Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March, travels with King Richard II of England to Ireland. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages English Capital London Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population –mid-2004... A mercenary is a soldier who fights, or engages in warfare primarily for private gain, usually with little regard for ideological, national or political considerations. ... Condottieri (singular condottiere) were mercenary leaders employed by Italian city-states from the late Middle Ages until the mid-sixteenth century. ... Jean Froissart (~1337 - ~1405) was one of the most important of the chroniclers of medieval France. ... Detail of the portrait of Machiavelli, ca 1500, in the robes of a Florentine public official Niccolò Machiavelli (May 3, 1469—June 21, 1527) was an Italian political philosopher during the Renaissance. ... The current Pope is Benedict XVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger), who was elected at the age of 78 on 19 April 2005. ...

Fresco of John Hawkwood by Paolo Uccello (1436)
in the Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence

Hawkwood's youth is shrouded in tales and legends and it is unclear how he exactly became a soldier. According to the most accepted tales, he was a second son of a tanner in Sidle Hedingham in Essex and was apprenticed in London. Other tales also claim that he was a tailor before he became a soldier. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (940x1238, 510 KB) Summary Fresco of John Hawkwood by Paolo Ucello; Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore; Florence, Italy Own photo - photo made on 13 October 2005 Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: John Hawkwood Metadata This file... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (940x1238, 510 KB) Summary Fresco of John Hawkwood by Paolo Ucello; Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore; Florence, Italy Own photo - photo made on 13 October 2005 Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: John Hawkwood Metadata This file... Essex is a county in the East of England. ... For other uses, see London (disambiguation). ...

Hawkwood served in the English army in France in the first stages of the Hundred Years' War under Edward III. According to different traditions Hawkwood fought in the battles of Crécy and/or Poitiers but there is no direct evidence of either. Different traditions claim that the King or the Black Prince knighted him but there is no record of that - he might have just taken the noble title himself with the support of his soldiers. His service ended after the Treaty of Brétigny in 1360. Combatants England France The Hundred Years War is the name modern historians have given to what was a series of related conflicts, fought over a 116-year period, between England and France, and later Burgundy; beginning in 1337, and ending in 1453. ... Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377) was one of the most successful English kings of medieval times. ... Combatants Kingdom of England France, Genoese Mercenaries, the Kingdoms of Navarre, Bohemia and the Balearic Islands Commanders Edward III of England Philip VI of France Strength about 12,000 30,000 to 40,000 Casualties 150-1,000 killed and wounded 6,000-30,000+ killed and wounded The Battle... The Battle of Poitiers was fought between England and France on September 19, 1356, resulting in the second of the three great English victories of the Hundred Years War. ... Edward the Black Prince - illustration from Cassells History of England circa 1902 Effigy on the Black Princes tomb in Canterbury Cathedral Edward, Prince of Wales, known as the Black Prince (June 15, 1330 - June 8, 1376) was the eldest son of King Edward III of England. ... The Treaty of Brétigny was a treaty signed on May 8, 1360, between King Edward III of England and King John II (the Good) of France. ... Events October 24 - The Treaty of Brétigny is ratified at Calais, marking the end of the first phase of the Hundred Years War. ...

To the life of mercenary

Hawkwood moved to Burgundy and joined the small mercenary companies that fought for money in France. Later he was part of the self-named Great Company that fought against Papal troops near Avignon. Coat of arms of the 2nd duchy of Burgundy and later of the French province of Burgundy Burgundy (French: Bourgogne) is a historic region of France, inhabited in turn by Pre-Indo-European people, Celts (Gauls), Romans (Gallo-Romans), and various Germanic peoples, most importantly the Burgundians and the Franks. ... View over the Rhône River to North-East with Mt Ventoux at the rear Palais des papes Square below the Palace of the Popes Paul Vs coat-of-arms on the Palais des papes The Notre Dame des Doms cathedral is located in the heart of Avignon, near...

In the beginning of the 1360s Hawkwood had risen to be commander of the White Company. In 1363 Hawkwood's men were part of the companies the marquis of Montferrato hired and lead over the Alps to fight a war against Milan. Afterwards Hawkwood and his troops remained in Italy. Centuries: 13th century - 14th century - 15th century Decades: 1310s 1320s 1330s 1340s 1350s - 1360s - 1370s 1380s 1390s 1400s 1410s Years: 1358 1359 1360 1361 1362 - 1363 - 1364 1365 1366 1367 1368 See also: 1363 state leaders Events Magnus II, King of Sweden, is deposed by Albert of Mecklenburg. ... Montferrat was a marquisate in Lombardy during the Middle Ages. ... The West face of the Petit Dru above the Chamonix valley near the Mer de Glace. ... Milan (Italian: Milano; Milanese: Milán) is the main city of northern Italy, and is located in the plains of Lombardy, the most populated and developed region in Italy. ...

Serving Italian factions

In the following years, White Company fought under many banners and switched sides many time. In 1364, they fought for Pisa against Florence. In 1369 Hawkwood fought for Perugia against the Papal forces. In 1370 he joined Bernabo Visconti in his war against an alliance of cities including Pisa and Florence. In 1372 he fought for Visconti against his former master the Marquis of Monferrato. After that he resigned his command and the White Company moved to the service of the Pope for a time. Pisa is a city in Tuscany, central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. ... Perugia is the capital city in the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the Tiber river, and the capital of the province of Perugia. ... Bernabò Visconti (1319-1385) was an Italian soldier and statesman, lord of Milan in the 14th century. ... Founded 59 BC as Florentia Region Tuscany Mayor Leonardo Domenici (Democratici di Sinistra) Area  - City Proper  102 km² Population  - City (2004)  - Metropolitan  - Density (city proper) 356,000 almost 500,000 3,453/km² Time zone CET, UTC+1 Latitude Longitude 43°47 N 11°15 E www. ...

Under Hawkwood's command the company gained a good reputation and he became a popular mercenary commander. He gained a nickname l'acuto, "the keen one", which gave him his Italian name Giovanni Acuto. His success was varied, but he exploited the shifting allegiances and power politics of Italian factions for his own benefit.

Italian cities concentrated on trade and hired mercenaries instead of forming standing armies. Hawkwood often played his employers and their enemies against each other. He might have got a contract to fight in one side and then demand a payment for the other side in order not to attack them. He also could just change sides, keeping his original payment. Sometimes one party hired him so that he would not hire out the other side. An army composed of full time professional soldiers form a standing army. ...

When Hawkwood needed money, he could threaten his employers with desertion or pillage if he was not paid. He bought estates in the Romagna and in Tuscany a castle at Montecchio Vesponi. Despite of all this, Hawkwood remained illiterate and had his contracts read to him and signed for him. The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Emilia-Romagna is an administrative region of Northern Italy comprising the two historic regions of Emilia and Romagna. ... Tuscany (Italian Toscana) is a region in central Italy, bordering on Latium to the south, Umbria and Marche to the east, Emilia-Romagna and Liguria to the north, and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west. ...

In 1375 when Hawkwood's company was fighting for the Pope against Florence, Florence made an agreement with him and paid him not to attack for three months. Events October 24 - Valdemar IV of Denmark dies and is succeeded by his grandson Olaf III of Denmark. ...

In 1377, Hawkwood led the destruction of Cesena by mercenary armies, acting in the name of Pope Gregory XI. One tale claims that he had promised the people that they would be spared but cardinal Robert of Geneva ordered them all killed. Shortly after he switched allegiance to the anti-papal league and married Donnina Visconti, the illegitimate daughter of Bernabo Visconti, the Duke of Milan; they later had one son and two daughters. Sources disagree on whether this was Hawkwood's first marriage or not. Cesena (ancient Caesena) is a city in the Italy, south of Ravenna and west of Rimini, on the Savio River, population (july 2004) 93,110, co-chief of the Province of Forli-Cesena. ... Gregory XI, né Pierre Roger de Beaufort (ca. ... For the other Clement VII who was Pope from 1523 to 1534, see Pope Clement VII. Robert of Geneva (1342-16 September 1394) was elected to the papacy by the French cardinals who opposed Urban VI, thereby becoming the first antipope of the Western Schism, as Pope Clement VII. He... Milan (Italian: Milano; Milanese: Milán) is the main city of northern Italy, and is located in the plains of Lombardy, the most populated and developed region in Italy. ...

However, a quarrel with Visconti soon ended the allegiance, and Hawkwood signed another agreement with Florence. In 1381 Richard II of England appointed him as ambassador to the Roman Court. Events June 12 - Peasants Revolt: In England rebels arrive at Blackheath. ... Richard II (January 6, 1367 – February 14, 1400) was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, and Joan The Fair Maid of Kent. He was born at Bordeaux and became his fathers heir when his elder brother died in infancy. ... An ambassador, rarely embassador, is a diplomatic official accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization, to serve as the official representative of his or her own country. ...

In 1387 Hawkwood, fighting for Padova, fought Giovanni Ordelaffi from Forlì, fighting for Verona in the Battle of Castagnaro, and won. Events June 2 - John Holland, a maternal half-brother of Richard II of England, is created Earl of Huntingdon. ... Tronco Maestro Riviera: a pedestrian walk along a section of the inland waterway or naviglio interno of Padua The city of Padua (Lat. ... Giovanni Ordelaffi (Forlì, 1355-1399) was a member of the noble family of Ordelaffi, the Lords of Forlì, in Italy, in the XIV century and in the XV century. ... Forlì, 44°13′N 12°02′E, is a comune and city in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, famed as the birthplace of the great painter Melozzo da Forlì and of Fascist leader Benito Mussolini (at Predappio). ... Map of Italy showing Verona in the north Verona (population est. ...

Last years with Florence

In the 1390 Hawkwood became a commander-in-chief of the army of Florence in the war against the expansion of Gian Galeazzo Visconti of Milan. Hawkwood's army invaded Lombardy and was within ten miles of Milan before he had to retreat over Adige river. Later in the year forces under his command defended Florence and later defeated the Milanese force of Jacopo dal Verme. Eventually Visconti sued for peace. Contemporary opinion in Florence regarded Hawkwood as a savior of Florence's independence against Milanese expansion. A 19th century version of Giangaleazzo Visconti. ... Adige (Italian; Etsch in German) is a river with its source in the region of South Tyrol, Italy. ...

At that state Florence has given him citizenship and pension. He spent his latter years in a villa in the neighbourhood of Florence.

John Hawkwood died in Florence on March 16-17 1394. He was buried with state honours in the Duomo. Shortly afterwards, Richard II asked for his body to be returned to his native England. Hawkwood's son also moved to England where he became an Englishman and moved to Essex. March 16 is the 75th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (76th in Leap years). ... March 17 is the 76th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (77th in Leap years). ... // Events Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March, travels with King Richard II of England to Ireland. ... The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is the cathedral church, or Duomo, of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Florence, noted for its distinctive dome. ... Richard II may refer to: King Richard II of England Richard II, a play by William Shakespeare about the king Richard II of Normandy This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Memory and monuments

In 1436 the Florentines commissioned of Paolo Uccello a funerary monument, a fresco transferred on canvas, which still stands in the Duomo. Originally, the Florentines intended to erect a bronze statue, but the costs proved too high. Finally they settled for a monochrome fresco in terra verde, a color closest to the patina of bronze. Events April - Paris is recaptured by the French End of the Hussite Wars in Bohemia. ... Paolo Uccello. ... Fresco by Dionisius representing Saint Nicholas. ...

Posthumously Hawkwood gained a reputation of both brutality and chivalry. In Sidle Hedingham there is a Hawkwood memorial chapel and a Hawkwood Road. In Romagna there is a Strada Aguta. Woman under the Safeguard of Knighthood, allegorical Scene. ... Emilia-Romagna is an administrative region of Northern Italy comprising the two historic regions of Emilia and Romagna. ...

Books

• Duccio Balestracci - Le armi i cavalli l'oro. Giovanni Acuto e i condottieri nell'Italia del Trecento, (Rome, 2003)
• Frances Stonor Saunders - Hawkwood: The Diabolical Englishman (2004).
  • US edition: The Devil's Broker: Seeking Gold, God, and Glory in 14th Century Italy (2005)
• William Caferro- John Hawkwood: An English Mercenary in Fourteenth-Century Italy (John Hopkins University Press, 2006)
• John Temple-Leader & Giuseppe Marcotti - Sir John Hawkwood (L'Acuto) Story of a Condottiere
• Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - The White Company (originally published in serial form in 1891) is loosely based on John Hawkwood and his exploits.

Other sources

• Barbara Tuchman - A Distant Mirror (Chap. 7)
• Kenneth Fowler - Sir John Hawkwood, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
• Stephen Cooper - An Unsung Villain: The Reputation of a Condottiere (History Today January 2006)

External links

• Sir John Hawkwood: Story of a Condottiere. By John Temple-Leader and Giuseppe Marcotti.Translated by Leader Scott. Published by T. Fisher Unwin (London) in 1889.