Soldier of fortune who played an important role in the 15th-century wars of the Visconti of Milan against Venice, Florence and the Pope.
A butcher´s son Piccinino began his career as a weaver but seized the chance to enlist as a page in the service of a nobleman of the Romagna, the region south of Venice.
In spite of his small stature he managed to become a soldier, eventually joining the forces of the condottiere (commander of mercenary soldiers) Braccio da Montone whose daughter he married.
When Braccio was killed in battle (1424) he took over command of his company and the following year with the young soldier of fortune Francesco Sforza he entered the employ of Duke Filippo Maria Visconti of Milan.
After brief service against Venice and Florence he was dispatched to fight Pope Eugene IV (1434) helping to drive him out of Rome.
In 1438 Piccinino battling the Venetians at Lake Garda, faced Sforza, now the Venetian captain general.
Piccinino was surrounded by the enemy and barely escaped -according to one story, concealed in a sack.
Invading Tuscany in 1440 he suffered a crushing defeat by the Florentines at Anghiari near Florence, leading his Visconti employer to sue for peace.
The following year Piccinino so ill that he could hardly ride a horse, had a last confrontation with Sforza, who was now fighting for the Pope and King Alfonso of Naples in the Marches in east central Italy.
After a preliminary setback Piccinino was summoned to Milan; as soon as he left, Sforza attacked, capturing Piccinino´s son Francesco and inflicting a decisive defeat.
Piccinino died a few days after receiving the news, a frustrated man.
Though an able soldier, he achieved none of the power and status of such condottieri as Francesco Sforza.
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