Cesare Hercolani

Cesare Hercolani (1499–1534) was an Italian condottiero, or mercenary leader.

He was born in Forlì (Northern Italy) in 1499. The Hercolanis were a noble family, and Cesare became a venture captain under Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.

According to the Renaissance historian Giovanni Tarcagnota, in the Battle of Pavia (1525), Hercolani injured the horse of Francis I of France, which enabled the Imperial Spanish forces to capture Francis alive and ended the battle. Although there is no exact proof of this, Hercolani received fame from this claim and was hailed as the "victor of the battle of Pavia."

In 1534 Hercolani was killed in Forlì by members of the Guelph faction, in vengeance of his action against Francis I of France.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Italian Wars.

• Konstam, Angus. Pavia 1525: The Climax of the Italian Wars. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 1996. ISBN 1-85532-504-7.
• Moreno Campetella. "An Italian translator of Galen in the 16th century: Giovanni Tarcagnota and the Galenic movement of the Cinquecento in Italy". books.openedition.org. Retrieved 4 August 2023.