Zucconio Guerrieri

Captain from Proceno and protagonist of the Battle of Lepanto

Zucconio Guerrieri († 1578) was a militia captain originally from Proceno , in the service of the Marquis Paolo I Sforza , a leading figure of the local nobility in the 16th century. Guerrieri played an active role in the main European military campaigns of his time: he fought in Spain against the Turks and in France against the Huguenots , participating directly in central war events of the era.

His figure is remembered above all for his participation in the historic Battle of Lepanto (1571), in which he commanded the troops of Proceno alongside the Marquis Paolo I Sforza. His contribution was so significant that a fresco – now lost – depicting the naval battle was created in the reception room of Palazzo GA Sforza , as a testimony to the prestige he had achieved.

An important trace of his existence is today preserved in the Church of San Martino , also known as the Church of the Friars , where Guerrieri's tombstone is located, considered a precious historical and artistic testimony for the village of Proceno.