Colleoni, Bartolomeo

Related Category: Italian History: Biographies

(bärtōlōmĕ´ō kōl-lāô´nē), 1400–1475, Italian soldier of fortune. A condottiere, Colleoni fought in the wars between Venice and Milan, often changing sides and distrusted by both. In 1454 he deserted Milan for the last time and became generalissimo of Venice, a post he held until his death. The beautiful Colleoni Chapel is in his native city, Bergamo, and the celebrated equestrian statue of him by Verrocchio is in Venice.