A sutherland ancientpagescom eight hundred years ago john hawkwood was a man widely known in europe he was an english military in the hundred years war 1337 to 1453 and a mercenary operating in italy where he was known as giovanni acuto hawkwood was born about 1320 in sible hedingham in the county of essex england. T he last full length life of john hawkwood which could boast any scholarly pretensions was that of temple leader and ricotti published in 1889 accordingly william caferros book meets a real need he has already written valuable studies on the history of war in italy notably on mercenary companies and the decline of siena 1998 and in this present work draws upon a great deal of . John hawkwood was fourteenth century italys most notorious and successful soldier a man known for cleverness and daring he was the most feared mercenary in renaissance italy born in england hawkood began his career in france during the hundred years war and crossed into italy with the famed white company in 1361 from that time until his death in 1394 hawkwood fought throughout the . John hawkwood was fourteenth century italys most notorious and successful soldier a man known for cleverness and daring he was the most feared mercenary in renaissance italy born in england hawkood began his career in france during the hundred years war and crossed into italy with the famed white company in 1361