 The fresco was initially commissioned , decades after Hawkwood 's death , in May 1433 by the Albizzi government , just months before the regime 's collapse . Perhaps the project was an attempt by the Albizzi to hearken back to a time when the oligarchic elite of Florence had been more aligned with their own conservative interests . On July 13 , 1433 , design competition notices for the new monument were placed at the Duomo , the Baptistry , and Orsanmichele . The instigators of the renewed project were the grandsons of Guido di Soletto del Pera Baldovinetti , one of the ambassadors who ( unsuccessfully ) pleaded with Hawkwood to return to Florence 's service in 1389 , and Donato Velluti , a 14th @-@ century military and political historian . It is almost inconceivable that the commissioners of the monument would not have regarded Hawkwood as a self @-@ interested mercenary , knowing that he often acted against the interests of Florence . After the launching of the design competition , in September 1433 , Cosimo and Averardo de ' Medici were exiled from Florence , for — among other things — allegedly attempting to embroil Florence in a war with Lucca . 
