ABSTRACT
Muzio Attendolo, who had fought for four popes and four kings, was one of the most successful soldiers of his day. His son Francesco Sforza was the most successful condottiere of all, a mercenary soldier who made himself Duke of Milan and arbitrator of the peace and politics of Italy. Attendolo was born in 1369 in the village of Cotignola, in the northern part of the Romagna, into a family which ranked just a bare cut above the peasantry. He could hardly count, could not read and signed his name with a cryptogram. Several experienced and able condottieri, whom Muzio had sent along to assist Francesco, announced their intendon to desert to the enemy. Francesco persuaded them to stay until after the battle, which he won. When Muzio heard of Francesco’s expedient generosity, he “exclaimed with tears of joy that his child was a much cleverer man than himself.”.
