John Hawkwood

Sir John Hawkwood (born c. 1320, died 1394) was an English mercenary or condottiere who was active in 14th century Italy. The French chronicler Jean Froissart knew him as Jean Haccoude and the Italian statesman, Niccolò Machiavelli, as Giovanni Acuto. Hawkwood served first the Pope and then various factions in Italy for over 30 years, amassing a fortune in land and gold.