Rocco Tiepolo (1460 - 1503) was a condotierro in the service of the Papal States during the Italian Wars, hired in 1497 to command mercenaries for Cesare Borgia.
Biography[]
Rocco Tiepolo was a Venetian condotierro during the late 15th century, and lost only two battles in his career, neither of which he commanded himself. He was descended from Doges Jacopo Tiepolo and his son Lorenzo Tiepolo. Tiepolo, although a Venetian, worked for the nearby Duchy of Milan, proudly wearing a House of Sforza cape even after his service with them ended. Tiepolo was employed by Cesare Borgia as a mercenary general in 1497 during the wars between the Papal States and France (Second Italian War).
In 1503, Tiepolo was killed in an attack on his mercenary training grounds in Rome by Fiora Cavazza and her army of anti-Borgia rebels, but both sides suffered heavy losses. Greatly outnumbered, Tiepolo charged into battle and was cut down.