The Collaborative International Dictionary
Condottiere \Con`dot*tie"re\, n.; pl. Condottieri. [It., captain.] A military adventurer of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, who sold his services, and those of his followers, to any party in any contest.
WordNet
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Wikipedia
Condottieri (; singular condottiero and condottiere) were the leaders of the professional military free companies (or mercenaries) contracted by the Italian city-states and the Papacy from the late Middle Ages and throughout the Renaissance. In Renaissance Italian, condottiero meant "contractor", and was synonymous with the modern English title Mercenary Captain. In contemporary Italian, "condottiero" acquired the broader meaning of "military leader", not restricted to mercenaries. In Italian historiography, Renaissance mercenary captains are usually called capitani di ventura (literally "venture captains").
These Italian words were standard usage in English writing of the Napoleonic times that remained current in written histories until the late 20th century; because formally employed, standing, professional armies were uncommon outside Italy until late in the Napoleonic Wars (1800–1815). Thus, the word Condottiere in the English language has come to denote, in the modern sense, any hired soldier.
Condottieri is a 1937 Italian historical film directed by Luis Trenker and starring Trenker, Loris Gizzi and Laura Nucci. It portrays the life of Giovanni de' Medici, a celebrated condottieri of the sixteenth century. A separate German-language version was also made.
The film received 9.6 million lire of funding from the Italian government, as part as a major drive by the Fascist authorities to develop the Italian film industry (which also involved the construction of the large Cinecittà complex in Rome). Along with Scipio Africanus, the film was an attempt to harness history to support the Fascist regime's current policies. Condottieri drew parallels between the dictator Benito Mussolini and the historical figure of de' Medici, portraying both as unifying Italy. The film's elaborate sets were designed by Virgilio Marchi.
Usage examples of "condottieri".
No one I spoke to there, of course, had ever heard of two condottieri with outlandish names, Bogdan and Basarab.
The count had left his territories in La Marca to the care of Il Furlano, one of his principal condottieri, who was so far influenced by the duke as to take command under him, and quit the count's service.
They engaged new condottieri, sent ambassadors to Rome, Naples, Venice, Milan, and Sienna, to demand assistance from their friends, gain information about those they suspected, decide such as were wavering, and discover the designs of the foe.
The Venetians, as usual on the conclusion of a war, had discharged Jacopo Piccinino, who with some other unemployed condottieri, marched into Romagna, thence into the Siennese, and halting in the country, took possession of many places.
If Ferrara survived the gathering condottieri and internal factions, well, then Marco would be rich and powerful.
There's no love lost anyway between the Bolognese condottieri and the ones from Milan.
On this day, at least, the normal conditions of Italian condottieri warfare had been suspended.
The young man, full-blooded, with all the vices and natural instincts of a captain of condottieri, had very great trouble in assuming even the appearance of a Churchman's virtue.
He, however, sent Carlo Orsini, son of Virginio, the prisoner, and Vitellozzo Vitelli, brother of Camillo Vitelli, one of the three valiant Italian condottieri who had joined him and fought for him at the crossing of the Taro: These two captains, whose courage and skill were well known, brought with them a considerable sum of money from the liberal coffers of Charles VIII.
After an hour's struggle man to man, Caesar was forced to retire, leaving two thousand men in the trenches about the town, and among the two thousand one of his bravest condottieri, Valentino Farnese.
So he charged his two new condottieri, Fabrizio Calonna and Ranuzia di Marciano, to check the French before Capua with 300 men-at-arms, some light horse, and 3000 infantry.
Vitellozza Vitelli in particular, who knew Caesar the best, never ceased to tell the other condottieri that so prompt and easy a peace must needs be the cover to some trap.
Barberini had expressed that hope in the darkest hours, and been told by several of the gentlemen of his salon, more than one of whom had been condottieri in one small way or another in the course of their careers, that the chances of that were slim at best.
But, like most of the other successful condottieri of the tune, he had as his ultimate goal the carving out of his own personal domain.