He was born in Mezzano Superiore on March 14, 1788. Rondizzoni joined the French Imperial Guard in 1807. As a part of Napoleon's army he took part in the Spanish campaign in 1808 and the Austrian one in 1809. In 1812 he participated in the campaign of Russia and the year following in that of Germany. He fought with Napoleon until his end in 1813 and 1814 in Germany (the battles of Lutzen, Bautzen, Dresden, Leipzig, Magdeburg). In 1815, with the rank of captain, Rondizzoni gave evidence that was of great value in Waterloo. The Napoleonic Wars caused him a total of four wounds and earned him twenty mentions in dispatches for his courage. He also received the Legion of Honor.