Battle of Cortenuova

Last updated

Battle of Cortenuova
Part of Guelphs and Ghibellines
Cortenuova1237.JPG
Miniature depicting the capture of the Carroccio
Nuova Cronica Vatican Library Chig.L.VIII.296
Date27 November 1237
Location
Cortenuova, Lombardy, Italy
45°32′N9°47′E / 45.533°N 9.783°E / 45.533; 9.783
Result Imperial victory
Belligerents
Holy Roman Empire
Kingdom of Sicily 		Lombard League
Milan, Lodi, Crema, Bergamo, Brescia, Verona, Vicenza, Padova, Treviso, Mantua, Alessandria and Vercelli
Commanders and leaders
Frederick II
Ezzelino da Romano
Gebhard von Arnstein		 Pietro Tiepolo P   Skull and Crossbones.svg
Guglielmo I da Rizolio
Strength
~10,000 [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] ~15,000 [1] [3] [6]
Casualties and losses
Unknown Thousands killed [6] [7] [8]
Thousands captured [1]

The Battle of Cortenuova (sometimes spelled Cortenova) was fought on 27 November 1237 in the course of the Guelphs and Ghibellines Wars: in it, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II defeated the Second Lombard League. [9]

Contents

Background

In 1235 Emperor Frederick was in Germany to quell the rebellion of his son Henry. In the autumn of that year he decided to return to Italy to suppress the Lombard communes which, backed by Pope Gregory IX, were contesting his authority. [10] He arrived at Valeggio, near Verona, and, with the help of Ezzelino III da Romano and other Ghibelline leaders, sacked the city of Vicenza. Satisfied with this first outcome, he came back to Germany to deal with another German princes' rebellion, leaving Hermann von Salza, Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, in Italy to monitor the situation. [9]

In August 1237 the emperor returned again to Italy, this time aiming to definitively crush the Second Lombard League. [9] He crossed the Alps to Verona and here his 2,000 knights were joined by Ezzelino III da Romano's troops, including soldiers from Treviso, Padua, Vicenza, and Verona itself, as well as by Tuscan men led by Gaboard of Arnstein. Later 6,000 infantry and horsemen from the Kingdom of Sicily came, including Apulian Muslim archers. [11] The rest of the army was formed by Ghibellines from Cremona, Pavia, Modena, Parma, and Reggio, for a total of 12,000 – 15,000 men [10]

The imperial army marched first against Mantua, which decided to surrender instead of being sacked, [9] [12] and then to Bergamo, whose council of nobles took the same decision in exchange for no formal submission. [9] Frederick then invaded Brescia's territory, capturing Goito and Montichiari among the others, although the latter's resistance gave time for most of the Lombard League troops to reach Brescia. [10] The 2,000-knights and 6,000-infantry [10] strong army, led by Pietro Tiepolo, podestà of Milan and son of the doge of Venice, [9] occupied a favorable position at Manerbio (November 1237). The two armies remained fifteen days facing each other without battling, separated by a marsh that thwarted the knights' effectiveness. Frederick, whose army was becoming short of supply, left his camp in search of a more advantageous position, and on 24 November 1237 crossed the Oglio River near Pontevico, where the Lombardian League's army was camped, marching northwards to wait for the enemy's moves at Soncino. [9] [12]

Battle

The Lombards believed the rumors, skilfully spread by the emperor, that he was withdrawing to Cremona to spend the winter there. [9] Therefore, they also started towards their winter quarters. However, Frederick had posted a contingent from Bergamo at Cividate al Piano, which would inform him of the Lombard movements through smoke signals. When the Lombard army had completed its crossing of Oglio at Pontoglio and Palazzolo, the imperial troops saw large clouds of smoke and moved to Cortenuova, which was 18 km from their current positions. [9]

The imperial vanguard included Saracens and horsemen, which were the first units to attack the withdrawing Lombards, followed by the infantry. Taken by surprise, the Milanese and Piacentines were unable to form a defense line, and fled to Cortenuova. [9] When Frederick and his main force reached the battlefield, it was scattered with knights, slain or wounded and his passage blocked by riderless horses. [1] [4] At Cortenuova, other Milanese and troops from Alessandria rallied around their Carroccio, where the Lombards fought valiantly [6] under the Saracen arrows and the Teutonic charges. A column of men from Milanese noble families, despite the arrival of other Bergamo troops, was able to protect the rest of the army's retreat to Cortenuova till nightfall. [9] To keep the army's morale as high as possible, Frederick ordered his troop to sleep with their armor on, and to attack at the first light of dawn. On the other side, the podestà of Milan, recognizing that the troops could not withstand another battle, ordered the abandonment of the town along with the Carroccio and the rest of the baggage. [9]

On the dawn of 28 November the Imperials attacked the hastily-retreating Lombards, who collapsed with minimal resistance. [9] Many drowned in the Oglio, which was overflowing due to a flood. About 4,000 Lombards were captured, and the wounded and killed numbered several thousand. The Milanese alone lost 2,500 soldiers. [10]

Of the battlefield, Pietro della Vigna recorded: [4]

who can describe the heaps of corpses and the number of captives?... the Germans dyed their swords in blood;... the loyal Cremonese with the other states satiated their axes with blood; the Saracens emptied their quivers. Never in any war were so many corpses piled up; had not night come on suddenly, none of the enemy would have fled from Caesars hands.

Aftermath

The Lombard League's army was virtually annihilated. Frederick made a triumphal entrance in the allied city of Cremona, with the Carroccio towed by an elephant and Tiepolo chained on it. [9] The latter was first detained in Apulia and then publicly executed in Trani. The Carroccio was later sent to Rome as a show of the imperial power. [9]

The Lombard League disbanded. Lodi, Novara, Vercelli, Chieri, and Savona were captured or submitted to the emperor, while Amadeus IV of Savoy and Boniface II of Montferrat confirmed their Ghibelline allegiance. [9] Milan, Brescia, Piacenza, and Bologna remained alone in arms. [2] Frederick, now at the top of his strength, besieged Milan. He rejected all Milanese peace overtures, insisting on unconditional surrender. Milan and five other cities, however, held out, and, in October 1238, he had to raise the siege of Brescia. [9]

The emperor then went on to invade the Papal States, and was excommunicated by Pope Gregory IX. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cremona</span> Comune in Lombardy, Italy

Cremona is a city and comune in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po river in the middle of the Pianura Padana. It is the capital of the province of Cremona and the seat of the local city and province governments. The city of Cremona is especially noted for its musical history and traditions, including some of the earliest and most renowned luthiers, such as Giuseppe Guarneri, Antonio Stradivari, Francesco Rugeri, Vincenzo Rugeri, and several members of the Amati family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lombard League</span> 1167–1250 Italian anti-Imperial alliance

The Lombard League was an alliance of cities formed in 1167, and supported by the popes, to counter the attempts by the Hohenstaufen Holy Roman emperors to establish direct royal administrative control over the cities of the Kingdom of Italy after many decades of de-facto local self-governance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ezzelino III da Romano</span> Italian feudal lord (1194–1259)

Ezzelino III da Romano was an Italian feudal lord, a member of the Ezzelini family, in the March of Treviso. He was a close ally of the emperor Frederick II, and ruled Verona, Vicenza and Padua for almost two decades. He became infamous as a cruel tyrant, and was, in fact, the most "notorious" of the "early tyrants".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Legnano</span> 1176 Lombard victory over the Holy Roman Empire

The battle of Legnano was a battle between the imperial army of Frederick Barbarossa and the troops of the Lombard League on 29 May 1176, near the town of Legnano, in present-day Lombardy, Italy. Although the presence of the enemy nearby was already known to both sides, they suddenly met without having time to plan any strategy.

Corte de' Frati is a municipality (comune) in the province of Cremona, in the Lombardy Italian region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pontevico</span> Comune in Lombardy, Italy

Pontevico is a comune in the province of Brescia in Lombardy. It is on the left bank of the river Oglio. As of 2021 Pontevico had a population of 7,038.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carroccio</span> Large chariot used in medieval battles

A carroccio was a large four-wheeled wagon bearing the city signs around which the militia of the medieval communes gathered and fought. It was particularly common among the Lombard, Tuscan and, more generally, northern Italian municipalities. Later its use spread even outside Italy. It was the symbol of municipal autonomy. Priests celebrated Mass at the altar before the battle, and the trumpeters beside them encouraged the fighters to the fray.

The siege of Brescia occurred in 1238. After his victory the previous year at the battle of Cortenuova, Emperor Frederick sought to bring about the unconditional surrender of the city of Milan and its allies. Assembling his army in Verona in April 1238, which included a contingent of Nicene troops dispatched by Emperor John III, he decided to besiege the Guelf town of Brescia. Emperor Frederick began the siege on 11 July 1238 and it lasted until a successful sortie by the city's defenders in early October forced him to lift the siege.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Fossalta</span> Battle in 1249 in Italy

The Battle of Fossalta was a battle of the War of the Guelphs and Ghibellines in Northern Italy. It took place in Fossalta, a small location on the Panaro River, and is especially remembered for the capture of Enzio of Sardinia, son of Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen.

The siege of Faenza occurred from August 1240 to April 14, 1241, during the course of the wars of the Guelphs and the Ghibellines. In this military confrontation, the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II aggressively laid siege to the town of Faenza and successfully captured the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Parma</span> Battle in 1248

The Battle of Parma was fought on 18 February 1248 between the forces of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and the Lombard League. The Guelphs attacked the Imperial camp when Frederick II was away. The Imperial forces were defeated and much of Frederick's treasure was lost.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Giglio</span> Sea battle in 1241

The naval Battle of Giglio or Montecristo was a military clash between a fleet of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and a fleet of the Republic of Genoa in the Tyrrhenian Sea. It took place on Friday, May 3, 1241 between the islands of Montecristo and Giglio in the Tuscan Archipelago and ended with the victory of the Imperial fleet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alberto da Giussano</span> Legendary character of the 12th century

Alberto da Giussano is a legendary character of the 12th century who would have participated, as a protagonist, in the battle of Legnano on 29 May 1176. In reality, according to historians, the actual military leader of the Lombard League in the famous military battle with Frederick Barbarossa was Guido da Landriano. Historical analyses made over time have indeed shown that the figure of Alberto da Giussano never existed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Delebio</span> 1432 battle between Milan and Venice

The Battle of Delebio took place during the Wars in Lombardy. It occurred on 18 and 19 November 1432, near Delebio, in the Valtellina. It was an aftermath of the occupation of Brescia and the Valle Camonica by the armies of the Republic of Venice, led by Francesco Bussone, Count of Carmagnola.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Company of Death</span>

The Company of Death is the name used in the historical literature of English language for two related chosen tactical corps, two selected bands of warriors, entrusted to guarantee the cohesiveness and efficiency in battle of both the Milanese and Lombard League's militias through their bond by oath to the defence of the Milanese Carroccio, the wagon on which the standard of the Lombard allies stood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Cassano (1259)</span> 1259 battle

The Battle of Cassano was fought in the Autumn of 1259 between Guelph and Ghibelline armies in Northern Italy.

Guido da Landriano, or Landriani, was an Italian condottiero and politician. He held the position of consul of the city of Milan and was the military leader of the troops of the Lombard League during the battle of Legnano. Alberto da Giussano, who according to tradition, was in command of the Lombard League, is in fact a legendary figure.

The Battle of Calcinato was a military engagement during the wars between the Guelphs and Ghibellines. It took place on 9 August 1201 near Calcinato, southeast of Brescia. The Ghibelline forces won.

<i>Ghibelline Annals of Piacenza</i> Anonymous latin chronicle

The Ghibelline Annals of Piacenza is an anonymous Latin chronicle of Piacenza from 1154 to 1284.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Castle of Pontevico</span> Castle in Pontevico, Italy

The Castle of Pontevico is a former fortification built at the height of the early Middle Ages in Pontevico, Province of Brescia, currently used as a neuropsychiatric institute. It has also been remodeled several times over the centuries, due to the continuous sieges suffered over time. It was completely rebuilt in 1844, and the current version dates from the second half of the 20th century.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Hadank, Karl (1905). Schlacht bei Cortenuova. Kreis Löwenberg.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. 1 2 Milman, Henry Hart (1855). History of Latin Christianity Vol. IV. London.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. 1 2 Freiherr von Kausler, Franz Georg (1833). Wörterbuch der Schlachten, Belagerungen und Treffen aller Völker 4. Band. Ulm.
  4. 1 2 3 Kington-Oliphant, Thomas Laurence (1862). History of Frederick II: Emperor of the Romans Vol.II. Cambridge.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. ↑ Ersch, Johann Samuel (1832). Allgemeine encyclopädie der wissenschaften und künste. Leipzig.
  6. 1 2 3 Busk, Mrs. William (1856). Mediæval popes, emperors, kings, and crusaders Vol.III. London.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. ↑ Schaller, Hans-Martin (1964). Kaiser Friedrich II: Verwandler der Welt. Göttingen.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  8. ↑ Von Arnim, Hans (1923). Kämpfer grosses Menschentum aller Zeiten, Volume 1. Berlin.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Roversi Monaco, Francesca. "Cortenuova, Battaglia di". Federiciana. Enciclopedia Italiana . Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 "Battaglia di Cortenuova". ARS Bellica. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  11. ↑ These units intervened at the end of the battle – "Emptying their quivers", as quoted by Pier delle Vigne
  12. 1 2 Carlo, Fornari. "La Battaglia di Cortenuova". Stupor Mundi. Archived from the original on 15 May 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2011.

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.