Battle of Marignano
Part of the War of the League of Cambrai
Detail from a painting attributed to the Maître de la Ratière
Date: September 13–14, 1515 Location: Near Melegnano, southeast of Milan, Italy Result: Decisive French victory
Combatants
France, Republic of Venice	Duchy of Milan
Commanders
Francis I, Gian Giacomo Trivulzio, Bartolomeo d'Alviano, 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 the League of Cambrai", was a victory for French forces that took place on 13 and 14 September 1515, at a location, today called Melegnano, 16 km south east of Milan. The War of the League of Cambrai (1508–16), sometimes known as the War of the Holy League and by several other names,[1] was a major conflict in the Italian Wars. ... Image File history File links Marignano. ... September 13 is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years). ... September 14 is the 257th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (258th in leap years). ... 1515 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Melegnano (formerly Marignano) is a town in Italy, in the province of Milan, region of Lombardy. ... Milan (Italian: Milano; Milanese: Milán) is the main city of northern Italy, and is located in the plains of Lombardy, the most populated and developed region in Italy. ... The Most Serene Republic of Venice (Venetian: Serenìsima Repùblica Vèneta; Italian: ) was a Venetian city-state in Northeastern Italy, based around the city of Venice. ... Milan (Italian: Milano; Milanese: Milán) is the main city of northern Italy, and is located in the plains of Lombardy, the most populated and developed region in Italy. ... Francis I (François Ier in French) (September 12, 1494 – July 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. ... Gian Giacomo Trivulzio (1441-1518) was a Milanese aristocrat who held several military commands during the Italian Wars. ... Bartolomeo dAlviano (1455-1515) was an eminent Venetian general and captain who distinguished himself in the defence of the republic against the Emperor Maximilian. ... Louis II de La Trémoille or La Trimouille (1460–1525), was a medieval French general. ... Maximilian Sforza was Duke of Milan between the occupations of Louis XII of France in 1500?, and Francis I of France in 1515. ... The War of the League of Cambrai (1508–16), sometimes known as the War of the Holy League and by several other names,[1] was a major conflict in the Italian Wars. ... The Battle of Agnadello was the one of the more significant battles of the War of the League of Cambrai, and one of the major battles of the Italian Wars. ... The Siege of Padua was a major engagement early in the War of the League of Cambrai, and one of the major battles of the Italian Wars, and the only appearance of a major Imperial army in Italy during the conflict. ... Combatants France Republic of Venice Commanders Gaston de Foix Unknown Strength 12,000 Unknown Casualties Unknown, but heavy 8,000+ The Sack of Brescia took place on February 18, 1512 during the War of the League of Cambrai. ... 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... Combatants England France Commanders Edward Howard René de Clermont Strength 25 ships 22 ships The naval Battle of St Mathieu took place on 10 August 1512 during the War of the League of Cambrai, near Brest, France, between an English fleet of 25 ships commanded by Edward Howard and a... The Battle of Novara was a battle of the Italian Wars fought on June 6, 1513, next to Novara, in Northen Italy. ... Combatants France Kingdom of England Commanders Jacques de la Palice Henry VIII Battle of the Spurs or Battle of Guinegate August 16 1513. ... Western side of the battlefield, looking south-south-east from the monument erected in 1910 (marked red in the key below). ... The Battle of La Motta, which took place on October 7, 1513 between the Republic of Venice and Spain, was a significant battle of the War of the League of Cambrai. ... For the war between the Roman Republic and other Italian cities see Social War. ... The War of the League of Cambrai (1508–16), sometimes known as the War of the Holy League and by several other names,[1] was a major conflict in the Italian Wars. ... (Redirected from 13 September) September 13 is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years). ... September 14 is the 257th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (258th in leap years). ... 1515 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Melegnano (formerly Marignano) is a town in Italy, in the province of Milan, region of Lombardy. ... Milan (Italian: Milano; Milanese: Milán) is the main city of northern Italy, and is located in the plains of Lombardy, the most populated and developed region in Italy. ...

On one side were the French forces of Francis I and some German landsknechts—and, eventually, his Venetian allies—and on the other the mercenaries of the Swiss Confederation, since 1512 in control of Milan, where the nominal Sforza duke, Massimiliano—son of Lodovico il Moro, whom the French had previously defeated for possession of Milan—was under Swiss control. The bloody battle of Marignano was fought to retake control of the duchy of Milan, the French gate to Italy. Francis I (François Ier in French) (September 12, 1494 – July 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. ... Landsknechts (German, Land land, country + Knecht servant: i. ... The Most Serene Republic of Venice (Venetian: Serenìsima Repùblica Vèneta; Italian: ) was a Venetian city-state in Northeastern Italy, based around the city of Venice. ... 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. ... Sforza was a ruling family of Renaissance Italy, based in Milan. ... Maximilian Sforza was Duke of Milan between the occupations of Louis XII of France in 1500?, and Francis I of France in 1515. ... Ludovico Sforza (Ludovico il Moro, The Moor) (July 27, 1452–May 27, 1508), a member of the Sforza dynasty of Milan, Italy, was the second son of Francesco Sforza, and was famed as patron of Leonardo da Vinci and other artists. ... The Duchy of Milan was a state in northern Italy from 1395 to 1797. ...

The prologue to the battle was a remarkable Alpine passage, in which François hauled pieces of artillery (including 40 or 70 huge cannon) over new-made roads over the Col d'Argentière, an unexpected route. At Villafranca the French surprised and seized Prospero Colonna and most of the Swiss cavalry. The Swiss retreated to Milan, where French gold sent some cantons' contingents of disciplined pikemen home. Villafranca is a town located in the province of Navarra, in the autonomous community of Navarra, in the North of Spain. ...

After a delay of some time, the Swiss marched out to meet Francis' forces at the little burnt-out village at a bridgehead over a small river. The battle lasted more than 24 hours, a brutal and bloody engagement quite unlike either the courteous feinting of the condottieri of the previous century, or the orderly and schematic presentation in the memorial painting (upper right). In the moonlight and confusion, the outcome hung in the balance. Only the early-morning arrival of fresh light cavalry commanded by the condottiere Bartolomeo d'Alviano, paid by the Venetian allies who had drawn Francis into Italy in the first place turned the tide against the Swiss. The previous day had seen a scandalous public auction of official places in Venice, described by the diarist Marcantonio Michiel: "By the end of the day 47,000 ducats had been raised, though with the greatest shame and disrepute for the Great Council." Dispatch riders placed the sum in the hands of the condottiere overnight [1]. Condottieri were mercenary leaders employed by Italian city-states from the late Middle Ages until the mid-fifteenth century. ... Bartolomeo dAlviano (1455-1515) was an eminent Venetian general and captain who distinguished himself in the defence of the republic against the Emperor Maximilian. ... The ducat (IPA /ˈdʌ·kʰətʰ/) is a gold coin that was used as a trade currency throughout Europe before WW1. ...

By the peace of Noyon (1516), Milan was returned to France. The Franco-Swiss treaty of peace after Marignano has never been broken. However France had a decisive intervention into Switzerland at the end of the 18th century. (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ...

Marignano established the superiority of French cast bronze artillery and cavalry over the until-then invincible phalanx tactics of the Swiss infantry. The victory of Francis at Marignano, however, eventually galvanized opposition in the divided peninsula, and turned the European balance of power against Francis I. In the meantime, however, Francis gained the city, and more importantly, the Castello Sforzesco within it, the strategic key to control of Lombardy. There Massimiliano Sforza and his Swiss mercenaries and the cardinal-bishop of Sion retreated, only submitting when French sappers had placed mines under the foundations. The French regained Milan, and Massimiliano went into luxurious exile with a French purse of 30,000 ducats [2]. Assorted ancient bronze castings found as part of a cache, probably intended for recycling. ... Historically, artillery refers to any engine used for the discharge of projectiles during war. ... Kircholm, a 1925 painting by Wojciech Kossak. ... Modern reconstruction of a hoplite phalanx formation. ... Peninsula A peninsula (from Latin paene insula, almost island) is a geographical formation consisting of an extension of land from a larger body, surrounded by water on three sides. ... World map showing Europe Political map Europe is one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiographic one, leading to various perspectives about Europes borders. ... Balance of power is a central concept of realist theories of international relations. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion, because: nonsense If you disagree with its speedy deletion, please explain why on its talk page or at Wikipedia:Speedy deletions. ... Lombardy (Italian: Lombardia) is a region in northern Italy between the Alps and the Po river valley. ... Maximilian Sforza was Duke of Milan between the occupations of Louis XII of France in 1500?, and Francis I of France in 1515. ... A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official in the Roman Catholic Church, ranking just below the Pope and appointed by him as a member of the College of Cardinals during a consistory. ... The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sion (Latin Sedunensis), in the Swiss canton of Valais, is the oldest bishopric in Switzerland and one of the oldest north of the Alps. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with combat engineering. ...

Commemorating the event are a bas-relief of the battle of Marignano by Pierre Bontemps, which decorates Francis I's tomb at Saint-Denis; a painting by Antoine Caron for Fontainebleau (now at the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa); and the most famous musical composition of Clément Janequin, the chanson Le bataille. Bas relief is a method of sculpting which entails carving or etching away the surface of a flat piece of stone or metal. ... Saint Denis can refer to: a Christian saint: see Denis Seine-Saint-Denis a département of France Several communes in France: Saint-Denis,in the Aude département Saint-Denis, in the Gard département Saint-Denis, in the Seine-Saint-Denis département, home of Saint Denis Basilica Saint-Denis, in the... Location within France Fontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. ... National Gallery of Canada on Canada Day. ... Clément Janequin (c. ... Chanson is a French word for song, and in English-language contexts is often applied to any song with French words, particularly a cabaret song. ...

External links

• Eric Niderost, "The Swiss defeat at the battle of Marignano: Ancient tactics tested"
• War of the Holy League
• La Battaglia dei Giganti (in Italian)
• W. McAllister Johnson, "The Monumental Style of Fontainebleau and its Consequences: Antoine Caron and 'The Submission of Milan'" from National Gallery of Canada Bulletin 26 (1975)