Battle of Bicocca
Part of the Italian War of 1521–26
Lombardy in 1522. The location of the battle is indicated.
Date April 27, 1522 Location Bicocca, north of Milan, Italy Result Decisive Imperial/Spanish/Papal/Milanese victory
Combatants
France, Republic of Venice	Holy Roman Empire, Spain, Papal States, Duchy of Milan
Commanders
Vicomte de Lautrec	Prospero Colonna
Strength
19,000–31,000+[1]	7,000+[2]
Casualties
3,000+ killed	Light

The Battle of Bicocca, sometimes known as the Battle of La Bicocca, was fought on April 27, 1522, during the Italian War of 1521–26. A combined French and Venetian force under Odet de Foix, Vicomte de Lautrec, was decisively defeated by an Imperial, Spanish, and Papal army under the overall command of Prospero Colonna. Lautrec then withdrew from Lombardy, leaving the Duchy of Milan in Imperial hands. Combatants France, Republic of Venice Spain, Holy Roman Empire, England, Papal States Commanders Francis I of France #, Vicomte de Lautrec, Seigneur de Bonnivet â€ , Seigneur de Bayard â€  Charles V, Charles de Lannoy, Fernando dAvalos, Charles de Bourbon, Prospero Colonna The Italian War of 1521–26, sometimes known as the Four... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... For the village of the same name in Ontario, Canada, see Lombardy, Ontario. ... April 27 is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 248 days remaining. ... Events January 9 - Adrian Dedens becomes Pope Adrian VI. February 26 - Execution by hanging of Cuauhtémoc, Aztec ruler of Tenochtitlan under orders of conquistador Hernán Cortés. ... For other uses, see Milan (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Borders of the Republic of Venice in 1796 Capital Venice Language(s) Venetian, Latin, Italian Religion Roman Catholic Government Republic Doge  - 1789–97 Ludovico Manin History  - Established 697  - Treaty of Zara June 27, 1358  - Treaty of Leoben April 17, 1797 * Traditionally, the establishment of the Republic is dated to 697. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... This article is about the medieval empire. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 479 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1072 × 1341 pixel, file size: 312 KB, MIME type: image/png) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor Coat... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Coat of arms Map of the Papal States; the reddish area was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy in 1860, the rest (grey) in 1870. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Duchy of Milan was a state in northern Italy from 1395 to 1797. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Odet de Foix, Vicomte de Lautrec, painted by Jean Clouet (early 16th century). ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Prospero Colonna, sometimes referred to as Prosper Colonna, was a condottiere in the service of the Papal States and the Holy Roman Empire during the Italian Wars. ... Combatants France, Republic of Venice Spain, Holy Roman Empire, England, Papal States Commanders Francis I of France #, Vicomte de Lautrec, Seigneur de Bonnivet â€ , Seigneur de Bayard â€  Charles V, Charles de Lannoy, Fernando dAvalos, Charles de Bourbon, Prospero Colonna The Italian War of 1521–26, sometimes known as the Four... The Battle of Pampeluna (also spelled Pamplona) occurred during the war between Spain and France, in which France took possession of Pampeluna (1521), but was later defeated and expelled (1522) from Milan. ... The Battle of Esquiroz was fought near Pamplona on June 30, 1521, during the Italian War of 1521. ... The Siege of Mézières (1521) took place during the Italian War of 1521. ... The Siege of Tournai (1521) took place during the Italian War of 1521. ... The Siege of Genoa (May 20, 1522–May 30, 1522) was conducted by a Imperial army under the command of Fernando de Avalos and Prosper Colonna against the French forces defending the city. ... The Battle of the Sesia (April 30, 1524) was a battle in the Italian War of 1521 that saw the Habsburg forces under Charles de Lannoy inflict a decisive defeat on the French under Admiral Bonnivet and the comte de St. ... The Siege of Marseille (August–September 1524) was conducted by an Imperial army under Charles de Bourbon (who had recently betrayed Francis I) and Fernando de Avalos against the French defenders of Marseille. ... Combatants France Holy Roman Empire, Spain, Duchy of Milan[1] Commanders Francis I of France Charles de Lannoy, Antonio de Leyva, Georg Frundsberg Strength 17,000 infantry 6,500 cavalry 53 guns 19,000 infantry 4,000 cavalry 17 guns Casualties 12,000 dead or wounded 500 dead or wounded... Combatants France, the Holy Roman Empire, the states of Italy (notably the Republic of Venice, the Duchy of Milan, the Kingdom of Naples, the Papal States, Florence, and the Duchy of Ferrara), England, Scotland, Spain, the Ottoman Empire, the Swiss, Saxony, and others The Italian Wars, often referred to as... Combatants France Papal States, Republic of Venice, Naples, Duchy of Milan, Holy Roman Empire Commanders Charles VIII Francesco II The First Italian War (1494–95), sometimes referred to as the Italian War of 1494 or Charles VIIIs Italian War, was the opening phase of the Italian Wars. ... Combatants France, Republic of Venice, Spain (until 1501) Duchy of Milan, Kingdom of Naples, Spain (after 1501) Commanders Duke of Nemours† Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, Bartolomeo dAlviano The Second Italian War (1499–1504), sometimes known as Louis XIIs Italian War or the War over Naples, was... The War of the League of Cambrai, sometimes known as the War of the Holy League and by several other names,[1] was a major conflict in the Italian Wars. ... The War of Urbino (1517) was a secondary episode of the Italian Wars. ... Combatants France, Republic of Venice Spain, Holy Roman Empire, England, Papal States Commanders Francis I of France #, Vicomte de Lautrec, Seigneur de Bonnivet â€ , Seigneur de Bayard â€  Charles V, Charles de Lannoy, Fernando dAvalos, Charles de Bourbon, Prospero Colonna The Italian War of 1521–26, sometimes known as the Four... Combatants Holy Roman Empire, Spain, Genoa France, Papal States, Republic of Venice, Florence, England, Duchy of Milan Commanders Charles de Bourbon â€ , Georg Frundsberg, Philibert of Châlon â€  Vicomte de Lautrec *, Francesco Ferruccio â€ , Giovanni de Medici â€ , Comte de St. ... The Italian War of 1535 between Charles V and Francis I of France began with the death of Francesco Maria Sforza, the duke of Milan. ... Combatants France, Ottoman Empire England, Holy Roman Empire, Spain The Italian War of 1542, a late episode in the Italian Wars, took place from 1542 to 1546. ... The Italian War of 1551 (1551–1559), sometimes known as the Habsburg‐Valois War, began when Henry II of France, who had succeeded Francis to the throne, declared war against Charles V with the intent of recapturing Italy and ensuring French, rather than Habsburg, domination of European affairs. ... April 27 is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 248 days remaining. ... Events January 9 - Adrian Dedens becomes Pope Adrian VI. February 26 - Execution by hanging of Cuauhtémoc, Aztec ruler of Tenochtitlan under orders of conquistador Hernán Cortés. ... Combatants France, Republic of Venice Spain, Holy Roman Empire, England, Papal States Commanders Francis I of France #, Vicomte de Lautrec, Seigneur de Bonnivet â€ , Seigneur de Bayard â€  Charles V, Charles de Lannoy, Fernando dAvalos, Charles de Bourbon, Prospero Colonna The Italian War of 1521–26, sometimes known as the Four... Borders of the Republic of Venice in 1796 Capital Venice Language(s) Venetian, Latin, Italian Religion Roman Catholic Government Republic Doge  - 1789–97 Ludovico Manin History  - Established 697  - Treaty of Zara June 27, 1358  - Treaty of Leoben April 17, 1797 * Traditionally, the establishment of the Republic is dated to 697. ... Odet de Foix, Vicomte de Lautrec, painted by Jean Clouet (early 16th century). ... This article is about the medieval empire. ... Coat of arms Map of the Papal States; the reddish area was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy in 1860, the rest (grey) in 1870. ... Prospero Colonna, sometimes referred to as Prosper Colonna, was a condottiere in the service of the Papal States and the Holy Roman Empire during the Italian Wars. ... For the village of the same name in Ontario, Canada, see Lombardy, Ontario. ... The Duchy of Milan was a state in northern Italy from 1395 to 1797. ...

Having been driven from Milan by an Imperial advance in late 1521, Lautrec had regrouped, attempting to strike at Colonna's lines of communication. When the Swiss mercenaries in French service did not receive their pay, however, they demanded an immediate battle, and Lautrec was forced to attack Colonna's fortified position in the park of Bicocca, north of Milan. The Swiss pikemen advanced over open fields under heavy artillery fire to assault the Imperial positions, but were halted at a sunken road backed by earthworks. Having suffered massive casualties from the fire of Spanish arquebusiers, the Swiss retreated. Meanwhile, an attempt by French cavalry to flank Colonna's position proved equally ineffective. The Swiss, unwilling to fight further, marched off to their cantons a few days later, and Lautrec retreated into Venetian territory with the remnants of his army. For other uses, see Milan (disambiguation). ... Swiss mercenaries crossing the Alps (Luzerner Schilling) Swiss mercenaries were soldiers notable for their service in foreign armies, especially the armies of the Kings of France, throughout the Early Modern period of European history, from the Later Middle Ages into the Age of the European Enlightenment. ... Japanese arquebus of the Edo era (teppo) The arquebus (sometimes spelled harquebus, harkbus[1] or hackbut; possibly related to German Hakenbuechse or Dutch Haakbus) was a primitive firearm used in the 15th to 17th centuries. ... The twenty-six cantons of Switzerland are the states of the federal state of Switzerland. ...

The battle is noted chiefly for marking the end of the Swiss dominance among the infantry of the Italian Wars, and of the Swiss method of assaults by massed columns of pikemen without support from other troops. It was simultaneously the first of a series of engagements which established the decisive role of firearms on the battlefield. Combatants France, the Holy Roman Empire, the states of Italy (notably the Republic of Venice, the Duchy of Milan, the Kingdom of Naples, the Papal States, Florence, and the Duchy of Ferrara), England, Scotland, Spain, the Ottoman Empire, the Swiss, Saxony, and others The Italian Wars, often referred to as... A firearm is a kinetic energy weapon that fires either a single or multiple projectiles propelled at high velocity by the gases produced by action of the rapid confined burning of a propellant. ...

Prelude

At the start of the war in 1521, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and Pope Leo X moved jointly against the Duchy of Milan, the principal French possession in Lombardy. A large Papal force under the Marquis of Mantua, together with Spanish troops from Naples and some smaller Italian contingents, concentrated near Mantua.^[3] The German forces which Charles sent south to aid this venture passed through Venetian territory near Vallegio unmolested; the combined Papal, Spanish, and Imperial army then proceeded into French territory under the command of Prospero Colonna.^[4] For the next several months, Colonna fought an evasive war of maneuver against Odet de Foix, Vicomte de Lautrec, the French commander, besieging cities but refusing to give battle. This article is about the medieval empire. ... For the Carlist claimant King Carlos V, see Infante Carlos, Count of Molina. ... Pope Leo X, born Giovanni di Lorenzo de Medici (11 December 1475 – 1 December 1521) was Pope from 1513 to his death. ... The Duchy of Milan was a state in northern Italy from 1395 to 1797. ... Coat of arms Northern Italy in 1796; the Duchy of Mantua can be seen centre-right, shaded in orange, as part of the Duchy of Milan. ... For other uses see, Naples (disambiguation) and Napoli (disambiguation) Location of the city of Naples (red dot) within Italy. ... Mantua (in Italian Mantova, in the local dialect of Emiliano-Romagnolo language Mantua) is an important city in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province with the same name. ... Prospero Colonna, sometimes referred to as Prosper Colonna, was a condottiere in the service of the Papal States and the Holy Roman Empire during the Italian Wars. ... A maneuver (spelled manoeuvre in Commonwealth English) is a tactical or strategical move or action. ... Odet de Foix, Vicomte de Lautrec, painted by Jean Clouet (early 16th century). ...

By the autumn of 1521, Lautrec, who was holding a line along the Adda River to Cremona, began to suffer massive losses from desertion, particularly among his Swiss mercenaries.^[5] Colonna took the opportunity this offered and, advancing close to the Alps, crossed the Adda at Vaprio; Lautrec, lacking infantry and assuming the year's campaign to be over, withdrew to Milan.^[6] Colonna had no intention of stopping his advance, however. On the night of November 23, he launched a surprise attack on the city, overwhelming the Venetian troops defending one of the walls. Following some abortive street-fighting, Lautrec withdrew to Cremona with about 12,000 men.^[7] Adda (anc. ... Cremona is a city in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left shore of the Po river in the middle of the Pianura padana (Po valley). ... Swiss mercenaries crossing the Alps (Luzerner Schilling) Swiss mercenaries were soldiers notable for their service in foreign armies, especially the armies of the Kings of France, throughout the Early Modern period of European history, from the Later Middle Ages into the Age of the European Enlightenment. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Infantry of the Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme in World War I. Infantry are soldiers who fight primarily on foot with small arms in organized military units, though they may be transported to the battlefield by horses, ships, automobiles, skis, bicycles, or other means. ... For other uses, see Milan (disambiguation). ... is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Urban warfare is a modern warfare conducted in urban areas such as towns and cities. ...

By January, the French had lost Alessandria, Pavia, and Como; and Francesco II Sforza, bringing further German reinforcements, had slipped past a Venetian force at Bergamo to join Colonna in Milan.^[8] Lautrec had meanwhile been reinforced by the arrival of 16,000 fresh Swiss pikemen and some further Venetian forces, as well as additional companies of French troops under the command of Thomas de Foix-Lescun and Pedro Navarro; he had also secured the services of the condottiere Giovanni de' Medici, who brought his Black Bands into the French service.^[9] The French proceeded to attack Novara and Pavia, hoping to draw Colonna into a decisive battle.^[10] Colonna, leaving Milan, fortified himself in the monastery of Certosa south of the city. Considering this position to be too strong to be easily assaulted, Lautrec attempted instead to threaten Colonna's lines of communication by sweeping around Milan to Monza, cutting the roads from the city into the Alps.^[11] For the Alessandria meteorite of 1860, see Meteorite falls. ... For the municipality in the Philippines, see Pavia, Iloilo. ... For other uses, see Como (disambiguation). ... Francesco II Sforza (d. ... Small street (via della Noca) leading to città alta. ... A modern recreation of a mid-17th century company of pikemen. ... Thomas de Foix-Lescun (fl. ... Pedro Navarro, Count of Oliveto (Garde, Navarre, c. ... Condottieri were mercenary leaders employed by Italian city-states from the late Middle Ages until the mid-fifteenth century. ... There were four Medici known as Giovanni de Medici: Giovanni di Bicci de Medici (1360-1429) (founder of the Medici dynasty) Giovanni di Cosimo de Medici (1421-1463) (second son of Cosimo the Elder) Giovanni di Lorenzo de Medici (1475-1521) (Pope Leo X) Giovanni dalle Bande Nere, son of... This article is about the Italian mercenary company; for the German mercenary company, see Black Band (landsknechts). ... Novara is a city of Piedmont, in North-west Italy, to the west of Milan. ... For the municipality in the Philippines, see Pavia, Iloilo. ... Monastery of St. ... Certosa di Pavia is the name of a famous monastery complex in Lombardy, Italy, situated near a small town (in Province of Pavia) with the same name. ... The Lambro River runs through Monza. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Lautrec was suddenly confronted, however, with the intransigence of the Swiss, who formed the largest contingent of the French army. They complained that they had not received any of the pay promised them since their arrival in Lombardy. The Swiss captains, led by Albert von Stein, demanded that Lautrec attack the Imperial army immediately—else the mercenaries would abandon the French and return to their cantons. Lautrec reluctantly acquiesced and marched south towards Milan.^[12] Albert von Stein (fl. ... The twenty-six cantons of Switzerland are the states of the federal state of Switzerland. ...

Battle

A diagram of the battle. Lautrec's movements are indicated in blue; Colonna's, in red.

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 480 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (800 × 1000 pixel, file size: 92 KB, MIME type: image/png) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 480 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (800 × 1000 pixel, file size: 92 KB, MIME type: image/png) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ...

Dispositions

Colonna had meanwhile relocated to a formidable new position: the manor park of Bicocca, about four miles north of Milan. The park was situated between a large expanse of marshy ground to the west and the main road into Milan to the east; along this road ran a deep wet ditch, which was crossed by a narrow stone bridge some distance south of the park. The north side of the park was bordered by a sunken road; Colonna deepened this and constructed an earthen rampart on the southern bank. The Imperial artillery, placed on several platforms jutting forward from the earthworks, was able to sweep the fields north of the park as well as parts of the sunken road itself.^[13] The entire length of the north side of the park was less than 600 yards, which permitted Colonna to place his troops quite densely. Immediately behind the rampart were four ranks of Spanish arquebusiers, commanded by Fernando d'Avalos, Marquess of Pescara; they were backed by Spanish pikemen and German landsknechts under Georg Frundsberg.^[14] Most of the Imperial cavalry was placed at the south end of the park, far behind the infantry; a separate force of cavalry was positioned to the south, guarding the bridge.^[15] Ightham Mote For the London district, see Manor House, London. ... For other uses, see Artillery (disambiguation). ... Japanese arquebus of the Edo era (teppo) The arquebus (sometimes spelled harquebus, harkbus[1] or hackbut; possibly related to German Hakenbuechse or Dutch Haakbus) was a primitive firearm used in the 15th to 17th centuries. ... Fernando Francesco DÁvalos. ... A modern recreation of a mid-17th century company of pikemen. ... Landsknechts (German, Land land, country + Knecht servant: i. ... Georg von Frundsberg (1473–1528) was a German Knight and landowner. ...

On the evening of April 26, Lautrec sent a force of about 400 cavalry under the Sieur de Pontdormy to reconnoiter the Imperial positions. The patrol reported that the ground was cut by irrigation ditches and ill-suited for maneuvering, but this failed to dissuade the Swiss.^[16] Colonna, having observed the French presence, sent messengers to Milan to request reinforcements; Francesco Sforza arrived the next morning with 6,400 additional troops, joining the cavalry near the bridge to the south of Colonna's camp.^[17] is the 116th day of the year (117th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

At dawn on April 27, Lautrec began his attack. The Black Bands brushed aside the Spanish pickets, clearing the ground before the Imperial positions. The French advance was headed by two columns of Swiss, each comprised of about 4,000 to 7,000 men, accompanied by some artillery; this party was to assault the entrenched front of the Imperial camp directly.^[18] Lescun, meanwhile, led a body of cavalry south along the Milan road, intending to flank the camp and strike at the bridge to the rear.^[19] The remainder of the French army, including the French infantry, the bulk of the heavy cavalry, and the remnants of the Swiss, formed up in a broad line some distance behind the two Swiss columns; behind this was a third line, composed of the Venetian forces under Francesco Maria della Rovere, the Duke of Urbino.^[20] April 27 is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 248 days remaining. ... This article is about the Italian mercenary company; for the German mercenary company, see Black Band (landsknechts). ... Picketing is a form of non-violent resistance in which people congregate outside a place of work or location where an event is taking place and attempt to dissuade others from going in (crossing the picket line). It has two main aims: to harm the business or activity by losing... Francesco Maria I della Rovere (March 22, 1490 - October 20, 1538) was an Italian condottiero, who was Duke of Urbino from 1508 until 1538. ...

The Swiss attack

The overall command of the Swiss assault was given to Anne de Montmorency. As the Swiss columns advanced towards the park, he ordered them to pause and wait for the French artillery to bombard the Imperial defences, but the Swiss refused to obey.^[21] Perhaps the Swiss captains doubted that the artillery would have any effect on the earthworks; historian Charles Oman suggests that it is more likely they were "inspired by blind pugnacity and self-confidence".^[22] In any case, the Swiss moved rapidly towards Colonna's position, leaving the artillery behind. There was apparently some rivalry between the two columns, as one, commanded by Arnold Winkelried of Unterwalden, was composed of men from the rural cantons, while the other, under Albert von Stein, consisted of the contingents from Bern and the urban cantons.^[23] The advancing Swiss quickly came into range of the Imperial artillery. Unable to take cover on the level fields, they began to take substantial casualties; as many as a thousand Swiss may have been killed by the time the columns reached the Imperial lines.^[24] Anne de Montmorency, 1530. ... Sir Charles William Chadwick Oman (January 12, 1860 - June 23, 1946) was a notable British military historian of the early 20th century. ... Arnold Winkelried of Unterwalden (fl. ... Location within Switzerland The city of Bern, English traditionally Berne (Bernese German Bärn , German Bern , French Berne , Italian Berna , Romansh Berna ), is the Bundesstadt (administrative capital) of Switzerland, and is the fourth most populous Swiss city (after Zürich, Geneva and Basel). ...

Anne de Montmorency, painted by Jean Clouet (c. 1530). Montmorency commanded the Swiss assault, and was the only survivor among the French nobles who accompanied it.

The Swiss came to a sudden halt as the columns reached the sunken road in front of the park; the depth of the road and the height of the rampart behind it—together higher than the length of the Swiss pikes—effectively blocked their advance. Moving down into the road, the Swiss suffered massive casualties from the fire of d'Avalos's arquebusiers.^[25] Nevertheless, the Swiss made a series of desperate attempts to breach the Imperial line. Some parties managed to reach the top of the rampart, only to be met by the landsknechts, who had come up from behind the arquebusiers. One of the Swiss captains was apparently killed by Frundsberg in single combat; and the Swiss, unable to form up atop the earthworks, were pushed back down into the sunken road.^[26] After attempting to move forward for about half an hour, the remnants of the Swiss columns retreated back towards the main French line. In the fields which they had crossed and before the rampart, they left more than 3,000 dead; among these were twenty-two captains, including both Winkelried and Albert von Stein.^[27] Of the French nobles who had accompanied the Swiss assault, only Montmorency survived.^[28] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Anne de Montmorency, 1530. ... François I of France - Jean and François Clouet (c. ...

Denouement

Lescun, with about 400 heavy cavalry under his command, had meanwhile reached the bridge south of the park and fought his way across it and into the Imperial camp beyond.^[29] Colonna responded by detaching some cavalry under Antonio de Leyva to halt the French advance, while Francesco Sforza came up the road towards the bridge, aiming to surround Lescun. Pontdormy held off the Milanese, allowing Lescun to extricate himself from the camp; the French cavalry then retraced its path and rejoined the main body of the army.^[30] Antonio de Leyva, Duke of Terranova (1480–1536) was a Spanish general during the Italian Wars. ...

Despite the urging of d'Avalos and several other Imperial commanders, Colonna refused to order a general attack on the French, pointing out that much of Lautrec's army—including the bulk of his cavalry—was still intact. Colonna suggested that the French were already beaten, and would soon withdraw; this assessment was shared by Frundsberg.^[31] Nevertheless, some small groups of Spanish arquebusiers and light cavalry attempted to pursue the withdrawing Swiss, only to be beaten back by the Black Bands, which were covering the removal of the French artillery from the field.^[32]

Colonna's judgement proved to be accurate. The Swiss were unwilling to make another assault, and marched for home on April 30. Lautrec, believing that his resulting weakness in infantry made a further campaign impossible, retreated to the east, crossing the Adda into Venetian territory at Trezzo.^[33] Having reached Cremona, Lautrec left Lescun in command of the remnants of the French army and rode unescorted to Lyon, to make his report to Francis I.^[34] is the 120th day of the year (121st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Visconti Castle in Trezzo. ... This article is about the French city. ... Francis I (François Ier in French) (September 12, 1494 – March 31, 1547), called the Father and Restorer of Letters (le Père et Restaurateur des Lettres), was crowned King of France in 1515 in the cathedral at Reims and reigned until 1547. ...

Aftermath

Lautrec's departure heralded a complete collapse of the French position in northern Italy. No longer menaced by the French army, Colonna and d'Avalos marched on Genoa, capturing it after a brief siege.^[35] Lescun, learning of the loss of Genoa, arranged an agreement with Francesco Sforza by which the Castello Sforzesco in Milan, which still remained in French hands, surrendered, and the remainder of the French forces withdrew over the Alps.^[36] The Venetians, under the newly elected Doge Andrea Gritti, were no longer interested in continuing the war; in July 1523, Gritti concluded the Treaty of Worms with Charles V, removing the Republic from the fighting.^[37] The French would make two further attempts to regain Lombardy before the end of the war, but neither would be successful; the terms of the Treaty of Madrid, which Francis was forced to sign after his defeat at the Battle of Pavia, would leave Italy in Imperial hands. Northern Italy encompasses nine of the countrys 20 autonomous regions: Emilia-Romagna Friuli-Venezia Giulia Liguria Lombardia Piemonte Toscana Trentino-Alto Adige Valle dAosta Veneto Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Trentino-Alto Adige and Valle dAosta are regions with a special statute. ... For other uses, see Genoa (disambiguation). ... The Siege of Genoa (May 20, 1522–May 30, 1522) was conducted by a Imperial army under the command of Fernando de Avalos and Prosper Colonna against the French forces defending the city. ... Front view of Castello Sforzesco Courtyard in Castello Sforzesco Castello Sforzesco (English: Sforza Castle) is a castle in Milan, Italy that now houses an art gallery. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Grand Procession of the Doge, 16th century For about a thousand years, the chief magistrate and leader of the Most Serene Republic of Venice was styled the Doge, a rare but not unique Italian title derived from the Latin Dux, as the major Italian parallel Duce and the English Duke. ... Portrait by Titian, 1540 Andrea Gritti was the Doge of Venice from 1523 to 1538, following a distinguished diplomatic and military career. ... Francis I (François Ier in French) (September 12, 1494 – March 31, 1547), called the Father and Restorer of Letters (le Père et Restaurateur des Lettres), was crowned King of France in 1515 in the cathedral at Reims and reigned until 1547. ... Combatants France Holy Roman Empire, Spain, Duchy of Milan[1] Commanders Francis I of France Charles de Lannoy, Antonio de Leyva, Georg Frundsberg Strength 17,000 infantry 6,500 cavalry 53 guns 19,000 infantry 4,000 cavalry 17 guns Casualties 12,000 dead or wounded 500 dead or wounded...

Another effect of the battle was the changed attitude of the Swiss. Francesco Guicciardini wrote of the aftermath of Bicocca: Guicciardini Francesco Guicciardini (March 6, 1483 - May 22, 1540) was an Italian historian and statesman. ...

They went back to their mountains diminished in numbers, but much more diminished in audacity; for it is certain that the losses which they suffered at Bicocca so affected them that in the coming years they no longer displayed their wonted vigour.^[38]

While Swiss mercenaries would continue to take part in the Italian Wars, they no longer possessed the willingness to make headlong attacks that they had at Novara in 1513 or Marignano in 1515; their performance at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 would surprise observers by its lack of initiative.^[39] Combatants France, the Holy Roman Empire, the states of Italy (notably the Republic of Venice, the Duchy of Milan, the Kingdom of Naples, the Papal States, Florence, and the Duchy of Ferrara), England, Scotland, Spain, the Ottoman Empire, the Swiss, Saxony, and others The Italian Wars, often referred to as... The Battle of Novara was a battle of the Italian Wars fought on June 6, 1513, next to Novara, in Northen Italy. ... Combatants France, Republic of Venice Duchy of Milan Commanders Francis I, Gian Giacomo Trivulzio, Bartolomeo dAlviano, Louis de la Trémoille Maximilian Sforza, Cardinal Matthaeus Schiner Strength 30,000 Unknown The Battle of Marignano, in the phase of the Italian Wars (1494–1559) that is called the War of... Combatants France Holy Roman Empire, Spain, Duchy of Milan[1] Commanders Francis I of France Charles de Lannoy, Antonio de Leyva, Georg Frundsberg Strength 17,000 infantry 6,500 cavalry 53 guns 19,000 infantry 4,000 cavalry 17 guns Casualties 12,000 dead or wounded 500 dead or wounded...

More generally, the battle made apparent the decisive role of small arms on the battlefield.^[40] Although the full capabilities of the arquebus would not be demonstrated until the Battle of the Sesia (where arquebusiers would prevail against heavy cavalry on open ground) two years later, the weapon nevertheless became a sine qua non for any army which did not wish to grant a massive advantage to its opponents. While the pikeman would continue to play a vital role in warfare, it would be equal to that of the arquebusier; together, the two types of infantry would be combined into the so-called "pike and shot" units that would endure until the development of the bayonet at the end of the seventeenth century.^[41] The offensive doctrine of the Swiss—a "push of pike" unsupported by firearms—had become obsolete. Indeed, offensive doctrines in general were increasingly replaced with defensive ones; the combination of the arquebus and effective field fortification had made frontal assaults on entrenched positions too costly to be practical, and they were not attempted again for the duration of the Italian Wars.^[42] Small arms captured in Fallujah, Iraq by the US Marine Corps in 2004 The term small arms generally describes any number of smaller infantry weapons, such as firearms that an individual soldier can carry. ... Japanese arquebus of the Edo era (teppo) The arquebus (sometimes spelled harquebus, harkbus[1] or hackbut; possibly related to German Hakenbuechse or Dutch Haakbus) was a primitive firearm used in the 15th to 17th centuries. ... The Battle of the Sesia (April 30, 1524) was a battle in the Italian War of 1521 that saw the Habsburg forces under Charles de Lannoy inflict a decisive defeat on the French under Admiral Bonnivet and the comte de St. ... Sine qua non or condicio sine qua non was originally a Latin legal term for without which it could not be (but for). It refers to an indispensable and essential action, condition, or ingredient. ... A 16th century pamphlet showing a mixed pike and shot formation. ... For other uses, see bayonet (disambiguation). ... This page may meet Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ...

As a result of the battle, the word "bicoca"—meaning a bargain, or something acquired at little cost—entered the Spanish language.^[43] This article is about the international language known as Spanish. ...

Notes

This article is about the Italian mercenary company; for the German mercenary company, see Black Band (landsknechts). ... Francesco II Sforza (d. ... Pope Leo X, born Giovanni di Lorenzo de Medici (11 December 1475 – 1 December 1521) was Pope from 1513 to his death. ... Pope Adrian VI (Utrecht, March 2, 1459 – September 14, 1523), born Adriaan Florenszoon Boeyens, son of Floris Boeyens, served as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 1522 until his death. ... Combatants France, Ferrara Spain, Papal States Commanders Gaston de Foix† Ramon de Cardona Strength 26,000 12,000 Casualties 3,000 dead or wounded 9,000 dead or wounded The Battle of Ravenna, fought on April 11, 1512, by forces of the Holy League and France, was a major battle... A sapper, in the sense first used by the French military, was one who sapped (undermined) anothers fortifications. ... 19th century painting of Winkelrieds deed by Konrad Grob. ... Look up Treasurer in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Louise of Savoy Louise of Savoy (September 11, 1476 – September 22, 1531) was the mother of Francis I of France. ... Pedro Navarro, Count of Oliveto (Garde, Navarre, c. ... The Real Academia Española (Spanish for Royal Spanish Academy, RAE) is the institution responsible for regulating the Spanish language. ... The Diccionario de la lengua española de la Real Academia Española or DRAE is the most authoritative dictionary of Castilian Spanish. ...

References

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Italian Wars

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• Arfaioli, Maurizio. The Black Bands of Giovanni: Infantry and Diplomacy During the Italian Wars (1526–1528). Pisa: Pisa University Press, Edizioni Plus, 2005. ISBN 88-8492-231-3.
• Black, Jeremy. "Dynasty Forged by Fire." MHQ: The Quarterly Journal of Military History 18, no. 3 (Spring 2006): 34–43. ISSN 1040-5992.
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• Hackett, Francis. Francis the First. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Doran & Co., 1937.
• Hall, Bert. Weapons and Warfare in Renaissance Europe: Gunpowder, Technology, and Tactics. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1997. ISBN 0-8018-5531-4.
• Norwich, John Julius. A History of Venice. New York: Vintage Books, 1989. ISBN 0-679-72197-5.
• Oman, Charles. A History of the Art of War in the Sixteenth Century. London: Methuen & Co., 1937.
• Taylor, Frederick Lewis. The Art of War in Italy, 1494–1529. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1973. ISBN 0-8371-5025-6.