Vitellozzo Vitelli (c. 145831 December 1502) was an Italian

condottiero Condottieri (; singular: ''condottiero'' or ''condottiere'') were Italian military leaders active during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. The term originally referred specifically to commanders of mercenary companies, derived from the ...

. He was lord of Montone,

Città di Castello Città di Castello (); "Castle Town") is a city and ''comune'' in the province of Perugia, in the northern part of Umbria. It is situated on a slope of the Apennine Mountains, Apennines, on the flood plain along the upper part of the river Tiber. T ...

, Monterchi and

Anghiari Anghiari () is a hill town and municipality (''comune'') in the Province of Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy. Bordering ''comuni'' include Arezzo (southwest), Pieve Santo Stefano (north) and Subbiano (west). It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("T ...

Biography

Together with his father,

Niccolò Niccolò is an Italian male given name, derived from the Greek Nikolaos meaning "Victor of people" or "People's champion". There are several male variations of the name: Nicolò, Niccolò, Nicolas, and Nicola. The female equivalent is Nicole. The ...

, who became lord of Città di Castello, and his brothers, who all at one time or other were condottieri (mercenary captains), this family instituted a new type of infantry armed with sword and pike to resist the German men-at-arms, and also a corps of mounted infantry armed with

arquebuses An arquebus ( ) is a form of long gun that appeared in Europe and the Ottoman Empire during the 15th century. An infantryman armed with an arquebus is called an arquebusier. The term ''arquebus'' was applied to many different forms of firearms ...

. Vitellozzo served the Medici of

Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

in their war against

Pisa Pisa ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Tuscany, Central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for the Leaning Tow ...

, and later with the French in

Apulia Apulia ( ), also known by its Italian language, Italian name Puglia (), is a Regions of Italy, region of Italy, located in the Southern Italy, southern peninsular section of the country, bordering the Adriatic Sea to the east, the Strait of Ot ...

in 1496 and with the

Orsini Orsini is a surname of Italian origin, originally derived from Latin ''ursinus'' ("bearlike") and originating as an epithet or sobriquet describing the name-bearer's purported strength. Notable people with the surname include the following: * Aaro ...

faction against

Pope Alexander VI Pope Alexander VI (, , ; born Roderic Llançol i de Borja; epithet: ''Valentinus'' ("The Valencian"); – 18 August 1503) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 11 August 1492 until his death in 1503. Born into t ...

. In 1500 Vitellozzo and the Orsini made peace with the pope, and the latter's son

Cesare Borgia Cesare Borgia (13 September 1475 – 12 March 1507) was a Cardinal (Catholic Church)#Cardinal_deacons, cardinal deacon and later an Italians, Italian ''condottieri, condottiero''. He was the illegitimate son of Pope Alexander VI of the Aragonese ...

, being determined to crush the petty tyrants of Romagna and consolidate papal power in that province, took the condottieri into his service. Vitellozzo distinguished himself in many engagements, but in 1501 he advanced against Florence, moved as much by a desire to avenge his brother

Paolo Paolo is a masculine given name, the Italian language, Italian form of the name Paul (name), Paul. It may refer to: People Art * Paolo Abbate (1884–1973), Italian-American sculptor * Paolo Alboni (1671–1734), Italian painter * Paolo Anton ...

, who while in the service of the Republic, had been suspected of treachery and put to death (1499), as by Cesare's orders. While Borgia was actually negotiating with the republic, Vitelli seized

Arezzo Arezzo ( , ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in Italy and the capital of the Province of Arezzo, province of the same name located in Tuscany. Arezzo is about southeast of Florence at an elevation of Above mean sea level, above sea level. As of 2 ...

. He was forced by Borgia and the French to give up the city, to his chagrin, and he began from that moment to nurture hostile feelings towards his master and to aspire to independent rule. Vitellozzo Vitelli wanted revenge for his brother's death. Seizing Arezzo prompted the Florentines to fear attack, and almost forced Cesare to attack Florence, but this action was in conflict with the wishes of Louis d'Orleans, king of France. He took part with the Orsini,

Oliverotto da Fermo Oliverotto Euffreducci, known as Oliverotto of Fermo (1475, in Fermo – 31 December 1502, in Senigallia), was an Italian condottiero and lord of Fermo during the pontificate of Pope Alexander VI, Alexander VI. His career is described in Niccolò ...

and other captains in the conspiracy of La Magione against the Borgia (Vitelli was married to Porzia, daughter of Paolo Orsini), but mutual distrust and the incapacity of the leaders before Cesare's energy and the promise of French help, brought the plot to nought, and Vitelli and other condottieri, hoping to ingratiate themselves with Cesare once more, seized

Senigallia Senigallia (or Sinigaglia in Old Italian; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) and port town on Italy's Adriatic Sea, Adriatic coast. It is situated in the province of Ancona, in the Italian region of Marche, and lies approximately 30 kilometres nor ...

in his name. There they were tricked by him and captured while their troops were out of reach. Vitelli and Oliverotto were strangled that same night on 31 December 1502. This incident may have alienated

Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 1452 - 2 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially rested o ...

from Borgia (whose service the artist was in), as he was Vitelli's friend.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vitelli, Vitellozzo 1450s births 1502 deaths 15th-century condottieri Assassinated Italian politicians People from Città di Castello People murdered in Marche Italian murder victims Deaths by strangulation Vitelozzo 16th-century condottieri Politicians assassinated in the 16th century