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Battle of Parabiago | |||||||
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Luchino Visconti (18th century anonymous engraving) | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Lordship of Milan | Lodrisio Visconti Company of St. George | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Luchino Visconti Pinalla Aliprandi Ettore da Panigo | Lodrisio Visconti (P) Werner von Urslingen Konrad von Landau | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
? | 6,500 | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
c. 2,300 | c. 4,500 |
The Battle of Parabiago was fought in February 1339 near Parabiago, in Lombardy, northern Italy, between the Milanese army and the St. George's (San Giorgio) Mercenaries of Lodrisio Visconti. A renowned condottiero, the latter was an exiled member of the Visconti family then in power in Milan with a kind of triumvirate formed by Azzone and his uncles, Luchino and Archbishop Giovanni Visconti. Aiming to return victoriously to his city, he hired some 2,500 knights, mainly from Germany, and 1,000 Swiss infantry which had fought in the unsuccessful war of Mastino II della Scala for the hegemony in northern Italy. These units were led by Werner von Urslingen and Konrad von Landau.
Lodrisio Visconti set out for Lombardy in late January 1339, defeating the Milanese in Rivolta d'Adda, and later conquering Cernusco sul Naviglio, Sesto di Monza, and Legnano, where he was joined by the Scaliger troops. Luchino set off to meet the Compagnia with his citizen militia and 700 knights from Savoy under the Bolognese Ettore da Panigo. Azzone, suffering from gout, remained in Milan.
On 20 February 1339, with deep snow on the ground, [2] Lodrisio's army attacked one of the two corps in which the Milanese army had divided, and which was camping near what is now the Canale Villoresi, near Parabiago. The Milanese were routed and retired to Milan with Lodrisio's troops in pursuit. Here the two main corps met and the Milanese were again defeated with Luchino captured. However, the Milanese militia did not retreat completely and offered a confused but effective resistance. In the meantime da Panigo's knights joined with some fugitives at Rho and moved to Parabiago where they defeated the 400 men-at-arms left by Lodrisio and freed Luchino.
In the meantime, news of the initial defeat reached Azzone, who ordered his men to move in and prepared to besiege Lodrisio's army. When the German mercenaries were attacked by da Panigo's men they were completely routed, and Lodrisio captured in turn.
Total casualties amounted to some 6,500–7,000.
Lodrisio Visconti was imprisoned in an iron cage in San Colombano al Lambro until 1349, when Azzone and Luchino died and Giovanni Visconti freed him.
According to a legend, St. Ambrosius himself had appeared in the battle from a white cloud, riding a horse and leading the Milanese in the decisive moments. To celebrate the event, Giovanni Visconti had a church and an abbey built, called Sant'Ambrogio della Vittoria ("St. Ambrose of the Victory"). Until 1581, every February 21 a procession was held from Milan to Parabiago to remember the victory.
Condottieri were Italian captains in command of mercenary companies during the Middle Ages and of multinational armies during the early modern period. They notably served popes and other European monarchs during the Italian Wars of the Renaissance and the European Wars of Religion. Notable condottieri include Prospero Colonna, Giovanni dalle Bande Nere, Cesare Borgia, the Marquis of Pescara, Andrea Doria, and the Duke of Parma.
The Visconti of Milan are a noble Italian family. They rose to power in Milan during the Middle Ages where they ruled from 1277 to 1447, initially as Lords then as Dukes, and several collateral branches still exist. The effective founder of the Visconti Lordship of Milan was the Archbishop Ottone, who wrested control of the city from the rival Della Torre family in 1277.
The Duchy of Milan was a state in Northern Italy, created in 1395 by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, then the lord of Milan, and a member of the important Visconti family, which had been ruling the city since 1277.
The War of the Eight Saints (1375–1378) was a war between Pope Gregory XI and a coalition of Italian city-states led by Florence that contributed to the end of the Avignon Papacy.
Parabiago is a town located in the north-western part of the Metropolitan City of Milan, Lombardy, northern Italy.
Mastino II della Scala was lord of Verona. He was a member of the famous Scaliger family of Northern Italy.
Giovanni Visconti (1290–1354) was an Italian Roman Catholic cardinal, who was co-ruler in Milan and lord of other Italian cities. He also was a military leader who fought against Florence, and used force to capture and hold other cities.
Lodrisio Visconti was an Italian condottiero.
Azzone Visconti was lord of Milan from 1329 until his death. After the death of his uncle, Marco Visconti, he was threatened with excommunication and had to submit to Pope John XXII. Azzone reconstituted his family's land holdings, taking numerous cities. He died in 1339.
Luchino Visconti (also spelled Lucchino, 1287 or 1292 – January 24, 1349) was lord of Milan from 1339 to 1349. He was also a condottiero, and lord of Pavia.
The Great Company was a group of mercenaries, chiefly of German origin but operating in the Italian peninsula, who flourished in the mid-14th century. At its height, the company numbered approximately 10,000-12,000 men, chiefly armored cavalry. The Great Company's power set the pattern for later condottieri who came to dominate Renaissance Italian warfare.
The Compagnia di San Giorgio was the name of several companies of mercenaries in Italy during the 14th century.
Pinalla Aliprandi was a Milanese commander of the 14th century.
Martino Aliprandi was an Italian lawyer and mayor of the 14th century.
Ludovico I Gonzaga was an Italian lord, the founder of the Gonzaga family who was the first capitano del popolo of Mantua and imperial vicar.
The La Compagnia della Stella was the name of two separate companies of mercenary soldiers which operated in northern Italy at different times in the 14th century.
Konrad Wirtinger von Landau, known in Italy as Conte Lando, was a German military adventurer and condottiero who was active in north and central Italy.
Galeas per montes is the name given to a feat of military engineering made between December 1438 and April 1439 by the Republic of Venice, when several Venetian ships, including galleys and frigates were transported from the Adriatic Sea to Lake Garda. The operation required towing the ships upstream on the river Adige until Rovereto, then transporting the fleet by land to Torbole, on the Northern shores of the lake. The second leg of the journey was the most remarkable achievement, requiring a land journey 20 km through the Loppio Lake and the narrow Passo San Giovanni.
The Visconti Castle of Crenna is a castle of mediaeval origin located in Crenna, frazione of Gallarate, Lombardy, Northern Italy. It is linked to the fame of Lodrisio Visconti, who raised against and then reconciled with the members of the family of his cousin Matteo Visconti, Lord of Milan. In the 14th century, the castle underwent expansion and destruction according to the alternative fortunes of Lodrisio.
Rinaldo Giver, known as Malerba, died 1345, was a German or Swiss condottiero.