Ettore served as a page to Ferdinand I of Naples and later became a "condottiero" for Ferdinand II. As such he fought against Charles VIII of France in 1493, during the French invasion of Italy. He continued to serve Frederick IV against the kings of France and Spain, but after Frederick's defeat in 1501, he turned to serve Prospero Colonna against France for Spain in the Battle of Cerignola. In 1503 he led thirteen Italian knights to victory over thirteen French in the Challenge of Barletta ("Disfida di Barletta"). Later he served Ferdinand the Catholic, king of Spain, who made him count of Miglionico. Because he was stripped of some of his fief, he fought once more against Spain and France under the Republic of Venice and Fabrizio Colonna. In 1512 he fought at the Battle of Ravenna. Reconciled with Ferdinand, he died in Spain in 1515.