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Description

Born in Sible Hedingham, Essex, John Hawkwood was the 2cnd son of a prosperous landowner. He was apprenticed as a tailor in London, but he was soon an archer in the War with France, aka the 100 years war. He was at Crecy and Poitiers. He may have been knighted by the Black Prince on the field after Poitiers. After a brief sojourn back in England, where there was a small matter of horse theft, he joined the mercenary army known as the Great Company. This broke up and he found himself with the White Company, so called because of their white banners and burnished armor. He started out in service of the Pope (after besieging, looting and terrorizing Avignon, the papal seat) and ended up working for Florence. The Gambino family has nothing on Hawkwood when it came to extortion.

Hawkwood was exceptionally skilled and a very capable commander. He had to be, the wolves he commanded would have turned on him in a heartbeat had he ever faltered. He was also brutal and avaricious. Like all the condotierre, his main method of attack was burning and looting everything, and killing any peasants available. These people, of course, had nowhere to run. The White Company practiced the "four alls", burn, destroy, kill and steal all. They rode hard and fast and would campaign in the winter, something just not done in Italy. Among his many sins, the worst is the rape of Cesena, Feb. 3rd 1377. 5000 - 8000 people died. This was ordered by Robert of Geneva, elected Pope Clement VII the next year. The people of Cesena had opened the gates for Hawkwood on Robert's word of honor they would be unharmed. There was no reason at all except bloodlust to kill the townspeople. Robert's election to the Papacy started the Western Schism, where the world eventually ended up with 3 popes excommunicating each other and stealing with 6 hands. Robert was the first anti-pope, but by no means the last.

Florence honored Hawkwood after his death, dying at his estate of old age, oddly enough. At first a tomb was planned for him in the cathedral of Santa Maria di Fiore, the magnificent Duomo. This was started, downsized, abandoned, a fresco painted instead, ousting of the Medici, change of government, return of the Medici, turmoil, screaming, laying blame, more screaming, beatings, name calling, signifying, further change of plans again, shrieks of argument, violent gestures, Florentine rage and finally a new fresco painted over the old one, artist Ucelli criticized for this fresco, told to repaint it. Richard II asked for the body back but probably didn't get it. Florence sent him an obsequious letter milording him left and right and explaining how impossible such an action would be. His body may be in England, or it might be under the alter in the Duomo, chissà? The fresco was a none too subtle reminder that great commanders were appreciated in Florence. Poets who backed the wrong party were not, Dante was exiled and is buried in Ravenna. Florence asked for the body back and got il fico in return, the Florentines have a tomb built in the Basilica Santa Croce c. 1829 waiting for him. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fig_sign

Sic Transit Gloria Fiorenza!

Another Ambitious Anglo Anthro - www.deviantart.com/bonkersbunn…

Description

Born in Sible Hedingham, Essex, John Hawkwood was the 2cnd son of a prosperous landowner. He was apprenticed as a tailor in London, but he was soon an archer in the War with France, aka the 100 years war. He was at Crecy and Poitiers. He may have been knighted by the Black Prince on the field after Poitiers. After a brief sojourn back in England, where there was a small matter of horse theft, he joined the mercenary army known as the Great Company. This broke up and he found himself with the White Company, so called because of their white banners and burnished armor. He started out in service of the Pope (after besieging, looting and terrorizing Avignon, the papal seat) and ended up working for Florence. The Gambino family has nothing on Hawkwood when it came to extortion.

Hawkwood was exceptionally skilled and a very capable commander. He had to be, the wolves he commanded would have turned on him in a heartbeat had he ever faltered. He was also brutal and avaricious. Like all the condotierre, his main method of attack was burning and looting everything, and killing any peasants available. These people, of course, had nowhere to run. The White Company practiced the "four alls", burn, destroy, kill and steal all. They rode hard and fast and would campaign in the winter, something just not done in Italy. Among his many sins, the worst is the rape of Cesena, Feb. 3rd 1377. 5000 - 8000 people died. This was ordered by Robert of Geneva, elected Pope Clement VII the next year. The people of Cesena had opened the gates for Hawkwood on Robert's word of honor they would be unharmed. There was no reason at all except bloodlust to kill the townspeople. Robert's election to the Papacy started the Western Schism, where the world eventually ended up with 3 popes excommunicating each other and stealing with 6 hands. Robert was the first anti-pope, but by no means the last.

Florence honored Hawkwood after his death, dying at his estate of old age, oddly enough. At first a tomb was planned for him in the cathedral of Santa Maria di Fiore, the magnificent Duomo. This was started, downsized, abandoned, a fresco painted instead, ousting of the Medici, change of government, return of the Medici, turmoil, screaming, laying blame, more screaming, beatings, name calling, signifying, further change of plans again, shrieks of argument, violent gestures, Florentine rage and finally a new fresco painted over the old one, artist Ucelli criticized for this fresco, told to repaint it. Richard II asked for the body back but probably didn't get it. Florence sent him an obsequious letter milording him left and right and explaining how impossible such an action would be. His body may be in England, or it might be under the alter in the Duomo, chissà? The fresco was a none too subtle reminder that great commanders were appreciated in Florence. Poets who backed the wrong party were not, Dante was exiled and is buried in Ravenna. Florence asked for the body back and got il fico in return, the Florentines have a tomb built in the Basilica Santa Croce c. 1829 waiting for him. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fig_sign

Sic Transit Gloria Fiorenza!

Another Ambitious Anglo Anthro - www.deviantart.com/bonkersbunn…