condottiere
Renaissance military contractor
A condottiere was a mercenary military commander in Renaissance Italy, leading private armies for hire to city-states and princes.
These captains contracted their services to the highest bidder, fighting for Florence one season, Milan the next.
The term now applies to any mercenary leader or soldier of fortune: a modern condottiere advising warlords in Africa.
Plural: condottieri.
Boot-shaped European nation
- MachiavelliPolitical realism's founding theorist
- FlorenceTuscan capital city
- VeniceLagoon city, northeastern Italy
- MilanLombardy's capital city
Borgia · Medici · lance · city-state · quattrocento · brigandage · contract · banner
Paid killer for clients
- contractorHired construction professional
- adventurerOne pursuing exciting exploits
- sellswordPaid combat professional
- privateerAuthorized civilian warship
auxiliary · bodyguard · enforcer · veteran · raider · freebooter · payment · plunder
One who commands
- chiefTop-ranking leader
- warlordMilitary ruler by force
- generalissimoAbsolute military commander
- marshalArrange in proper order
lieutenant · mastermind · tactician · helmsman · authority · employer · patron · subordinates
Fixed in position
- armoredProtected by metal covering
- swordsmanSkilled blade fighter
- knightHonored mounted soldier
- cavalrymanSoldier who fights mounted
man-at-arms · champion · duelist · combatant · horseman · lancer · veteran · battle-hardened
Mounted military force
- lanceLong thrusting weapon
- pikeLong battlefield spear
- crossbowStock-mounted bow mechanism
- siegeEncirclement forcing surrender
fortification · campaign · maneuver · ambush · skirmish · encirclement · feint · reconnaissance
Italy
Boot-shaped European nation
- MachiavelliPolitical realism's founding theorist
- FlorenceTuscan capital city
- VeniceLagoon city, northeastern Italy
Milan · Borgia · Medici · lance · city-state · quattrocento · brigandage · contract · banner
gun-for-hire
Paid killer for clients
- contractorHired construction professional
- adventurerOne pursuing exciting exploits
- sellswordPaid combat professional
privateer · auxiliary · bodyguard · enforcer · veteran · raider · freebooter · payment · plunder · loyalty
captain
One who commands
- chiefTop-ranking leader
- warlordMilitary ruler by force
- generalissimoAbsolute military commander
marshal · lieutenant · mastermind · tactician · helmsman · authority · employer · patron · subordinates · troop
mounted
Fixed in position
cavalryman · man-at-arms · champion · duelist · combatant · horseman · lancer · veteran · battle-hardened · seasoned
cavalry
Mounted military force
siege · fortification · campaign · maneuver · ambush · skirmish · encirclement · feint · reconnaissance · deployment
condottierevolunteer
Unpaid willing participant
crusader · freedom fighter · patriot · minuteman · partisan
condottiereliegeman
Feudal subject owing allegiance
vassal · bannerman · king's man · retainer · samurai