Pasquino Corso

Pasquino Corso, also known as Pasquino da Perugia or Pasquino di Sia (died 15 July 1532) was a Corsican Condottiero (mercenary warlord) active during the Italian Wars which took place during the first half of the 16th century.

Life Pasquino Corso was native to Ota, a Corsican village belonging to the pieve of Sia, and not to Perugia, as it is written in some contemporary sources. Apart from the dispute about his birthplace, nothing is known about his life until 1514. Afterwards, until 1526 he served under the Black Bands, organized by the condottiero Giovanni dalle Bande Nere. In that year in Florence, which was preparing itself for the siege by the Imperial-Spanish troops led by Charles V, he commanded 2,000 Corsicans mercenaries, but instead of obeying the city government he followed orders from Malatesta Baglioni, signore of Perugia who was allied to, and later betrayed, the republic. In August of that year he was moved to Cortona but protested about the delay in being paid. Then he came back to the city and was in charge of defending Porta San Niccoló.

On the wall of the right nave, near the second column, is a memorial plaque, erected 15 years after his death on the occasion of the death of his daughter Lucrezia, with the following Latin inscription: