The Battle of Cerignola was fought on April 21, 1503, between Spanish and French armies, in Cerignola, next Bari, Southern Italy. It is noted as the first battle in history won by gunpowder small arms. The Second Italian War (1499 – 1503) occured when Louis XII of France invaded Italy, capturing Milan and Naples. ... April 21 is the 111th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (112th in leap years). ... Year 1503 (MDIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. ... Cerignola is a town of Apulia, Italy, in the province of Foggia, 26 mi. ... Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba. ... Louis dArmagnac, Duke of Nemours (1472 – April 28, 1503), known for most of his life as the Count of Guise, was the third son of Jacques dArmagnac, Duke of Nemours and Louise of Anjou. ... 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... Combatants France Duchy of Milan Commanders Louis XII of France Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan The Battle of Novara was fought in Milan in April of 1500 between the forces of King Louis XII of France and the forces of Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan. ... Combatants France Aragon Commanders Marquis of Saluzzo Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, Bartolomeo dAlviano The Battle of Garigliano was fought on December 29, 1503 between an Aragonese army under Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba and a French army commanded by the Marquis of Saluzzo. ... Combatants France Spain Commanders Jacques de la Palice Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba Diego de Mendoza Strength 300 lances 300 foot-soldiers[1] 400 foot-soldiers 600 horsemen 1,300 soldiers[2] Casualties 600 captured 1,000 horses captured The Battle of Ruvo was fought on February 23, 1503... The Italian Wars, often referred to as the great Italian Wars or the great wars of Italy in historical works, were a series of conflicts from 1494 to 1559 that involved, at various times, all the major states of western Europe (France, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire, England, Scotland, the... 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 21 is the 111th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (112th in leap years). ... Year 1503 (MDIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. ... Cerignola is a town of Apulia, Italy, in the province of Foggia, 26 mi. ... Location within Italy Bari is the capital of the province of Bari and of the Apulia (or Puglia) region, on the Adriatic sea, in Italy. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Blackpowder. ...

Preparations

Spanish forces, under Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, formed by 8,000 men, with more than 1000 arquebusiers, and 20 cannons, defeated the French, 32,000 men, mainly heavy cavalry and Swiss mercenary pikemen, with about 40 cannons, and led by Louis d'Armagnac, Duke of Nemours, who was killed. Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba. ... Swiss mercenaries crossing the Alps (Luzerner Schilling) During the Late Middle Ages, mercenary forces grew in importance in Europe, as veterans from the Hundred Years War preferred to continue living a soldiers life rather than abandoning the military. ... A modern recreation of a mid-17th century company of pikemen. ... Louis dArmagnac, Duke of Nemours (1472 – April 28, 1503), known for most of his life as the Count of Guise, was the third son of Jacques dArmagnac, Duke of Nemours and Louise of Anjou. ...

Despite being outnumbered 4:1, Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, called "El Gran Capitán" (The Great Captain), had many strategic advantages, he had occupied the heights of Cerignola, and entrenched his soldiers with walls, trenches and stakes, and his artillery was better placed than French one. Most of his forces were infantry troopers, which he had formed into new units called "Coronelías", that were the seed of the later Tercios, armed with a mix of pikes, arquebuses and swords. This type of formation had revolutionized the Spanish army, which like the French, had also centred upon cavalry during the 10th to 15th centuries, in the battles of the Reconquista against the Muslims in Spain. Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba. ... Spanish Military formation well known for it`s superiority in 1600th century Europe. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

This army faced a professional French army based on the Ordonnance reforms, relying on the heavily-armoured cavalry of the Compagnies d'ordonnance and mercenary Swiss pikemen; but, at the same time, this army had more artillery than the Spanish. This paradox would be constant in the French armies through the first half of 16th century. (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ...

The battle

The battle began with two charges by the French cavalry, against the centre of the Spanish army, but was disbanded by heavy artillery fire on both occasions. The next assault tried to force the right flank, but it was broken by a storm of fire from the Spanish arquebusiers, which killed the Duke of Nemours. With the Swiss commander, Chandieu, taking charge, the Swiss infantry attacked along with the cavalry, but this attempt was again driven back by the arquebusiers, during which Chandieu also died. This forced the French army to retire in disorder, the moment in which Spanish infantry countered. The result was a total French defeat.

It is considered the first battle in history won by gunpowder small arms.