Bartolommeo Colleoni

Born 1400 in Solza, near Bergamo; died 1476 in Malpaga, near Bergamo. Italian condottiere.

Colleoni served under Queen Joan II of Naples and Filippo Maria Visconti, the duke of Milan. He spent a great part of his life in the service of Venice, becoming the generale capitano (commander in chief) in 1454. In accordance with Colleoni’s will, the money that he left to Venice was used to erect a monument in his honor (sculptor, Andrea del Verrocchio; unveiled in 1496).