NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Military history of Italy

The military history of Italy chronicles a vast time period, lasting from the overthrow of Tarquinius Superbus in 509 BC, through the Roman Empire, Italian unification, and into the modern day. The Italian peninsula has been a centre of military conflict throughout European history, going from being where nearly all of Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia were ruled from, to being Europe's battleground, then balancing back out to be a unified nation again. Lucius Tarquinius Superbus (also called Tarquin the Great or Tarquin II) was the last of the seven legendary kings of Rome, son of Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, and son-in-law of Servius Tullius. ... Centuries: 7th century BC - 6th century BC - 5th century BC Decades: 550s BC - 540s BC - 530s BC - 520s BC - 510s BC - 500s BC - 490s BC - 480s BC - 470s BC - 460s BC - 450s BC Events and Trends 509 BC - Foundation of the Roman Republic 508 BC - Office of pontifex maximus created... Motto Senatus Populusque Romanus (SPQR) The Roman Empire at its greatest extent. ... Italian unification (called in Italian the Risorgimento, or Resurgence) was the political and social process that unified disparate states of the Italian peninsula into the single nation of Italy. ... Satellite view of the Peninsula in spring The Italian Peninsula or Apennine Peninsula (Italian: Penisola italiana or Penisola appenninica) is one of the greatest peninsulas of Europe, spanning 1,000 km from the Alps in the north to the central Mediterranean Sea in the south. ... The Treaty of Rome signing ceremony This article gives an account of the history of the continent of Europe. ... North Africa is the Mediterranean, northernmost region of the African continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Africa. ... World map showing the location of Asia. ...

Ancient Italy

Rome

Ancient Rome was a state whose history was often closely entwined with its military history over the roughly 13 centuries that the Roman state existed. During this period the Roman military went under extensive structural changes from a small citizen militia based on social class and dealing mainly with small-scale local warfare to a professional army of up to half a million soldiers. From early campaigns on the Italian peninsula the Roman army went on to campaign as far abroad as Britannia and Asia Minor. See: Structural history of the Roman military The branches of the Roman military at the highest level were the Roman army and the Roman navy. ...

Middle Ages

Throughout the Middle Ages, from the collapse of a central Roman government in the late fifth century to the Italian Wars of the Renaissance, Italy was constantly divided between opposing factions fighting for control. At the time of the deposition of Romulus Augustulus (476), the Heruli Confederation governed Italy, but it was displaced by the Ostrogoths, who fought a long war with the Byzantine army in Italy (the Gothic War). The Byzantine came out of the war victorious only to find Italy invaded by a new wave of barbarians led by the Lombards. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... (4th century - 5th century - 6th century - other centuries) Events Rome sacked by Visigoths in 410. ... 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 Renaissance (French for rebirth, or Rinascimento in Italian), was a cultural movement in Italy (and in Europe in general) that began in the late Middle Ages, and spanned roughly the 14th through the 17th century. ... Romulus Augustus (460s/470s - after 511) was the last of the Western Roman Emperors. ... Events August - The usurper Basiliscus is deposed and Zeno is restored as Eastern Roman Emperor. ... The Heruli (spelled variously in Latin and Greek) were a nomadic Germanic people, who were subjugated by the Ostrogoths, Huns, and Byzantines in the 3rd to 5th centuries. ... This article deals with the continental Ostrogoths. ... The Byzantine Army was the primary military body of the Byzantine armed forces, serving alongside the Byzantine Navy. ... Combatants Byzantine Empire Ostrogoths Franks Visigoths Commanders Belisarius Narses Mundalias Germanus Justinus Liberius Theodoric the Great Witigis Totila The Gothic War, was a war fought in Italy in 535-552. ... The Lombards (Latin Langobardi, whence comes the alternative name Longobards found in older English texts), were a Germanic people originally from Northern Europe that entered the late Roman Empire. ...

The Lombards diminished Byzantine territory to the Exarchate of Ravenna, the Duchy of Rome, the Duchy of Naples, and the far south of Apulia and Calabria. They established a kingdom centred on Pavia in the north. During the interregnum called the Rule of the Dukes (574 – 584), the dukes of the Lombards invaded Burgundy, but were repulsed by the Merovingian king Guntram, who in turn invaded Italy and took the region of Savoy. The Lombards were forced to elect a new king to organise their defence. For the next two centuries, the Byzantine power in the peninsula was reduced by the Lombard kings, the greatest of which was Liutprand, until it consisted of little more than the tips of the Italian toe and heel, Rome and its environs being practically independent under the popes and the Neapolitan coast under its dukes. The Exarchate of Ravenna was a center of Byzantine power in Italy, from the end of the 6th century to 751 A.D., when the last Exarch was put to death by the Emperors enemies in Italy, the Lombards. ... Map of the Papal States. ... The Duchy of Naples (Latin: Ducatus Neapolitanus), born as a Byzantine province governed by a military commander (dux), rapidly became a de facto independent state, lasting more than five centuries during the Early and High Middle Ages. ... This article is about the Italian region. ... Cliffside dwellings in Tropea. ... Church San Michele in Pavia The Old Bridge (Ponte Vecchio) on the Ticino river is a symbol of Pavia PavÃ¬a (the ancient Ticinum) (population 71,000) is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its... The Rule of the Dukes was the decade-long interregnum from 574 or 575 which affected the Lombard kingdom in Italy after the death of Cleph. ... Events Emperor Justin II retires, choosing Tiberius II Constantine as his heir. ... Events The Visigoths conquer the Suevi kingdom in Spain. ... rÃ©gion of Bourgogne, see Bourgogne. ... There are other articles with similar names; see Merovingian (disambiguation). ... Guntram I(c. ... Flag of Savoy This article is about the historical region of Savoy. ... Liutprand was the king of the Lombards from 712 to 744 and is chiefly remembered for his Donation of Sutri, in 728, and his long reign which brought him into conflicts, mostly successful, with most of Italy at some time or other. ... This is a list of Popes of the Roman Catholic Church. ... The dukes of Naples were the military commanders of the ducatus Neapolitanus, a Byzantine outpost in Italy, one of the few remaining after the coming of the Lombards and Saracens. ...

In 774, Charlemagne of the Franks invaded and conquered the Lombard kingdom. In the south of the peninsula, the Duchy of Benevento remained independent of Frankish dominion, however. During the period of Carolingian strength, Charlemagne's descendants governed the north of Italy in relative peace, except for the brief period of the rebellion of Bernard and the constant raids from the Slavs to the east and the Saracens to the south. Pirates harassed the Adriatic and Ligurian coasts and the islands of Corsica and Sardinia. The south was very different, as the Lombards were at the height of there power there. Warfare between Lombard and Greek, especially the Greek city-states of the Tyrrhenian, was endemic. The Greek cities fell out of the orbit of Constantinople and Byzantine possessions shrank to their smallest mark as the Lombards and the Saracens increased their predations. In 831, the Arabs conquered Palermo and in 902 they conquered Taormina, ending the conquest of Sicily. They likewise established their presence on the peninsula, especially on the Garigliano and in Bari. The story of the incessant conflicts of the states of the Mezzogiorno is chaotic until the arrival of the Normans in the early eleventh century (1016). Under their leadership, the Christians of the south found themselves eventually united, the Arabs expelled, and the whole Mezzogiorno subjugated to the Hauteville dynasty of kings of Sicily (1130). Events Charlemagne conquers the kingdom of the Lombards, and takes title King of the Lombards. ... A portrait of Charlemagne by Albrecht DÃ¼rer that was painted several centuries after Charlemagnes death. ... This article is about the Frankish people and society. ... The Duchy of Benevento was the southernmost Lombard duchy in medieval Italy, centred on Benevento, a city central in the Mezzogiorno. ... Also see: France in the Middle Ages. ... Bernard (d. ... The Slavic peoples are the most numerous ethnic and linguistic body of peoples in Europe. ... For the rugby club Saracens see Saracens (rugby club) The term Saracen comes from Greek sarakenoi. ... The Adriatic Sea is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea separating the Apennine peninsula (Italy) from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges. ... Liguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions. ... â€œCorsicanâ€ redirects here. ... Sardinia (pronounced ; Italian: ; Sardinian: or Sardinnya) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily). ... The Etruscan civilization existed in Etruria and the Po valley in the northern part of what is now Italy, prior to the formation of the Roman Republic. ... Malamir succeeds Omurtag as Khan of Bulgaria The Saracens capture Palermo. ... For other uses, see Palermo (disambiguation). ... Events Births Deaths Categories: 902 ... Isola Bella from the North Isola Bella Bay from the south Greek theatre in Taormina Taormina is a small town in the island of Sicily in Italy. ... The Garigliano is a river in central Italy. ... 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. ... Norman conquests in red. ... George Tsul, ruler of Khazaria, is captured by a combined Byzantine-Rus force, which effectively ends Khazarias existence. ... The family of the Hauteville (French: Maison de Hauteville, Italian: Casa dAltavilla) was a petty baronial Norman family from the Cotentin which rose to prominence in Europe, Asia, and Africa through its conquests in the Mediterranean, especially Southern Italy and Sicily. ... The following is a list of monarchs of Naples and Sicily: See also: List of Counts of Apulia and Calabria Hauteville Counts of Sicily, 1071-1130 Roger I 1071-1101 Simon 1101-1105 Roger II 1105-1130 Hauteville Kings of Sicily, 1130-1198 Roger II 1130-1154 William I 1154... Events February 13 - Innocent II is elected pope An antipope schism occurs when Roger II of Sicily supports Anacletus II as pope instead of Innocent II. Innocent flees to France and Anacletus crowns Roger King. ...

The second half of the Middle Ages in Italy was marked by frequent conflict between the Holy Roman Empire and the Papacy, the latter eventually emerging victorious in that it ultimately prevented political unification of northern Italy under Imperial rule. Imperial invasions were led by more or less all medieval Emperors, the most notable episodes being the end of the Investiture controversy by the pilgrimage of Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor at Canossa in 1077 and the no less than five major invasions staged by Frederick Barbarossa against the Lombard League, culminating in the sack of Milan in 1162, after which every building in the city was demolished, except the curches. The lasting conflict led to the emergence of the Guelph and the Ghibelline parties in northern Italy, supporting respectively the Pope (and the independent cities) and the Emperor, though siding with a party was often dictated by other political considerations (more or less each city has belonged to both parties). The extent of the Holy Roman Empire in c. ... The Pope is the Catholic Bishop and patriarch of Rome, and head of the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches. ... The Investiture Controversy, also known as the lay investiture controversy, was the most significant conflict between secular and religious powers in medieval Europe. ... HEINRICÂ·IMP[ERATOR], Emperor Henry IV. Henry IV (November 11, 1050 â€“ August 7, 1106) was King of Germany from 1056 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1084, until his forced abdication in 1105. ... Canossa is a former castle of Matilda, Countess of Tuscany, situated in the foothills of the Apennines, in the province of Reggio Emilia and about eighteen miles from Parma. ... Events January 26 - Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor visits Pope Gregory VII as a penitent, asking him remove sentence of excommunication Robert Curthose instigates his first insurrection against his father, William the Conqueror Seljuk Turks capture Nicaea SÃ¼leyman I of RÃ¼m becomes the leader of the Sultanate of... Frederick Barbarossa in a 13th century chronicle. ... The Lombard League was an alliance formed around 1167, which at its apex included most of the cities of northern Italy (although its membership changed in time), including, among others, Milan, Piacenza, Cremona, Mantua, Bergamo, Brescia, Bologna, Padua, Treviso, Vicenza, Verona, Lodi, and Parma, and even some lords, such as... This article is about the city in Italy. ... Events June 3 - Thomas Becket consecrated as Archbishop of Canterbury. ... The Guelphs and Ghibellines were factions supporting, respectively, the Papacy and the Holy Roman Empire in central and northern Italy during the 12th and 13th centuries. ...

The victory of the Guelph party meant the end of Imperial overlordship over northern Italy, and the formation of city-states such as Florence, Venice, Milan, Genoa or Sienna. While Venice was turning to the seas, supporting, and acquiring large loot from, the 1204 Fourth Crusade's sack of Constantinople, the other city-states were struggling for control of mainland, Florence being the rising power of the time (annexation of Pisa in 1406). A city-state is a region controlled exclusively by a city. ... Florence (Italian: ) is the capital city of the region of Tuscany, Italy. ... Venice (Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venezsia, Latin: Venetia) is a city in northern Italy, the capital of region Veneto, and has a population of 271,251 (census estimate January 1, 2004). ... Genoa (Genova [] in Italian - Zena [] in Genoese) is a city and a seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria. ... This page is not about Siena, Italy. ... // Events February - Byzantine emperor Alexius IV is overthrown in a revolution, and Alexius V is proclaimed emperor. ... The Entry of the Crusaders into Constantinople (EugÃ¨ne Delacroix, 1840). ... Leaning Tower of Pisa. ... Events Construction of Forbidden City begins in Beijing. ...

Sicily was invaded in 1266 by Charles I, duke of Anjou; the Angevines were however toppled in the 1282 Sicilian Vespers, and Peter III of Aragon invaded the island. This set the background for later French claims over Naples and Sicily. For broader historical context, see 1260s and 13th century. ... Charles I (March 1227 - January 7, 1285) was the posthumous son of King Louis VIII of France, created Count of Anjou by his elder brother King Louis IX in 1246, thus founding the second Angevin dynasty. ... For broader historical context, see 1280s and 13th century. ... Sicilian Vespers (1846), by Francesco Hayez The Sicilian Vespers is the name given to a rebellion in Sicily in 1282 against the rule of the Angevin king Charles I, who had taken control of the island with Papal support in 1266. ... Peter III of Aragon (Catalan: Pere) (1239 â€“ November 11, 1285, also Peter I of Valencia, Peter II of Barcelona), known as the Great, was the king of Aragon and Valencia and count of Barcelona from 1276 to 1285. ...

Disintegration of the Holy Roman Empire and the Hundred Years War in neighbouring France meant that Italy was more or less left in peace during the fifteenth century; this allowed its cities to grow rich and to become attractive preys for its neighbours during the sixteenth century. This article is in need of attention. ...

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 (1494â€“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 Nemoursâ€ Gonzalo FernÃ¡ndez de CÃ³rdoba, Bartolomeo dAlviano The Second Italian War (1499â€“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 1521â€“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 ChÃ¢lon 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. ...

Italian Wars

The relative peace that had prevailed in Italy following the Treaty of Lodi was shattered by the beginning of the Italian Wars in 1494. Ludovico Sforza, seeking allies, suggested to Charles VIII of France that the latter press his claim to the throne of Naples; Charles obliged and launched an invasion of the peninsula. The French march to, and capture of, Naples was accompished with relative ease—the Italian states being shocked at the brutality of French tactics and the efficacy of the new French artillery—but Charles was forced to withdraw from Italy in 1495, after a hastily-constructed alliance fought him at the Battle of Fornovo. Charles died in 1498, but the conflict he started would be continued by his successors; the Italian Wars would last until 1559, involving, at various times, all the major states of western Europe (France, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire, England, Scotland, the Republic of Venice, the Papal States, and most of the city-states of Italy) as well as the Ottoman Empire, and rapidly becaming a general struggle for power and territory among the various participants, marked with an increasing degree of alliances, counter-alliances, and regular betrayals. 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... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1135x1625, 471 KB) Political map of Italy in early 1494, before the invasion of Italy by Charles VIII of France, created by MapMaster. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1135x1625, 471 KB) Political map of Italy in early 1494, before the invasion of Italy by Charles VIII of France, created by MapMaster. ... Charles VIII the Affable (French: Charles VIII lAffable) (June 30, 1470 â€“ April 7, 1498) was King of France from 1483 to his death. ... The Treaty of Lodi (1454–1455) brought Milan and Naples into alliance with Florence. ... Ludovico Sforza in a portrait by Giovanni Ambrogio de Predis. ... Charles VIII the Affable (French: Charles VIII lAffable) (June 30, 1470 â€“ April 7, 1498) was King of France from 1483 to his death. ... Location of the city of Naples (red dot) within Italy. ... Combatants France Papal States, Republic of Venice, Naples, Duchy of Milan, Holy Roman Empire Commanders Charles VIII Francesco II The First Italian War (1494â€“95), sometimes referred to as the Italian War of 1494 or Charles VIIIs Italian War, was the opening phase of the Italian Wars. ... Artillery with Gabion fortification Cannons on display at Fort Point Continental Artillery crew from the American Revolution Firing of an 18-pound gun, Louis-Philippe Crepin, (1772 â€“ 1851) A forge-welded Iron Cannon in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. ... The Battle of Fornovo took place in July 1495 during the Italian Wars. ... The extent of the Holy Roman Empire in c. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() â€“ on the European continent() â€“ in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified - by Athelstan 927 AD Area - Total 130... Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Cha togar mfhearg gun dioladh (Scottish Gaelic) Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic and Scots1 Government Constitutional monarchy - Monarch Queen Elizabeth II... Borders of the Republic of Venice in 1796 Capital Venice Language(s) Venetian, Latin Religion Roman Catholic Government Republic Doge - 1789â€“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. ... 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. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Motto Ø¯ÙˆÙ„Øª Ø§Ø¨Ø¯ Ù…Ø¯Øª Devlet-i Ebed-mÃ¼ddet (The Eternal State) Anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Borders in 1680, see: list of territories Capital SÃ¶ÄŸÃ¼t (1299â€“1326) Bursa (1326â€“65) Edirne (1365â€“1453) Constantinople (Ä°stanbul, 1453â€“1922) Language(s) Ottoman Turkish Government Monarchy [[Category:Former monarchies}}|Ottoman Empire, 1299]] Sultans - 1281â€“1326...

In 1499, Louis XII of France launched the Second Italian War, invading Lombardy and seizing the Duchy of Milan. He then reached an agreement with Ferdinand I of Spain to divide Naples. By 1502, combined French and Spanish forces had seized control of the Kingdom; disagreements about the terms of the partition led to a war between Louis and Ferdinand. By 1503, Louis, having been defeated at the Battle of Cerignola and Battle of Garigliano, was forced to withdraw from Naples, which was left under the control of the Spanish viceroy, Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba. Meanwhile, Pope Alexander VI attempted to carve a Borgia state from the Romagna through the efforts of Cesare Borgia. Louis XII (b. ... The Second Italian War (1499 â€“ 1503) occured when Louis XII of France invaded Italy, capturing Milan and Naples. ... Lombardy (Italian: Lombardia, Lombard: LumbardÃ¬a) is one of the 20 Regions of Italy. ... The Duchy of Milan was a state in northern Italy from 1395 to 1797. ... Ferdinand II of Aragon (Fernando de Aragón in Spanish and Ferran dAragó in Catalan), nicknamed the Catholic (March 10, 1452 – June 23, 1516) was king of Aragon, Castile, Sicily, Naples and Navarre and Count of Barcelona. ... 1502 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants Spain France Commanders Gonzalo FernÃ¡ndez de CÃ³rdoba Louis dArmagnac â€ Strength 8,000 infantry 20 guns 32,000 infantry and cavalry 40 guns Casualties 100 men 4. ... Combatants France Aragon Commanders Marquis of Saluzzo Gonzalo FernÃ¡ndez de CÃ³rdoba, Bartolomeo dAlviano The Battle of Garigliano was fought on December 29, 1503 between an Aragonese army under Gonzalo FernÃ¡ndez de CÃ³rdoba and a French army commanded by the Marquis of Saluzzo. ... Gonzalo FernÃ¡ndez de CÃ³rdoba. ... Pope Alexander VI (1 January 1431 â€“ 18 August 1503), born Roderic Borja (Italian: Borgia), (reigned from 1492 to 1503), is the most controversial of the secular popes of the Renaissance and one whose surname became a byword for the debased standards of the papacy of that era. ... Borja (better known by the Italian spelling of the name, Borgia) was an influential Spanish family during the Renaissance. ... Emilia-Romagna is an administrative region of Northern Italy comprising the two historic regions of Emilia and Romagna. ... Cesare Borgia. ...

In 1508, Pope Julius II formed the League of Cambrai, in which France, the Papacy, Spain and the Holy Roman Empire agreed to attack the Republic of Venice and partition her mainland territories.^[1] The resulting War of the League of Cambrai was a kaleidoscope of shifting alliances. The French defeated the Venetian army at the Battle of Agnadello, capturing extensive territories; but Julius, now regarding France as a greater threat, left the League and allied himself with Venice.^[2] After a year of fighting over the Romagna, he proclaimed a Holy League against the French; this rapidly grew to include England, Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire.^[3] The French were driven from Italy in late 1512, despite their victory at the Battle of Ravenna earlier that year, leaving Milan in the hands of Maximilian Sforza and his Swiss mercenaries; but the Holy League fell apart over the subject of dividing the spoils, and in 1513 Venice allied with France, agreeing to partition Lombardy between them.^[4] The French invasion of Milan in 1513 was defeated at the Battle of Novara, which was followed by a series of defeats for the French alliance; but Francis I of France defeated the Swiss at the Battle of Marignano in 1515, and the treaties of Noyon and Brussels left France and Venice in control of northern Italy.^[5] Pope Julius II (December 5, 1443 â€“ February 21, 1513), born Giuliano della Rovere, was Pope from 1503 to 1513. ... The extent of the Holy Roman Empire in c. ... Borders of the Republic of Venice in 1796 Capital Venice Language(s) Venetian, Latin Religion Roman Catholic Government Republic Doge - 1789â€“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. ... 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 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. ... Emilia-Romagna is an administrative region of Northern Italy comprising the two historic regions of Emilia and Romagna. ... Combatants France, Ferrara Spain, Papal States Commanders Gaston de Foixâ€ 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... Maximilian Sforza was Duke of Milan between the occupations of Louis XII of France in 1500?, and Francis I of France in 1515. ... 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. ... The Battle of Novara was a battle of the Italian Wars fought on June 6, 1513, next to Novara, in Northen Italy. ... Francis I (FranÃ§ois Ier in French) (September 12, 1494 â€“ March 31, 1547), called the Father and Restorer of Letters (le PÃ¨re et Restaurateur des Lettres), was crowned King of France in 1515 in the cathedral at Reims and reigned until 1547. ... Combatants France, Republic of Venice Duchy of Milan Commanders Francis I, Gian Giacomo Trivulzio, Bartolomeo dAlviano, Louis de la TrÃ©moille Maximilian Sforza, Cardinal Matthaeus Schiner Strength 30,000 Unknown The Battle of Marignano, in the phase of the Italian Wars (1494â€“1559) that is called the War of... 1515 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The election of Charles of Spain as Holy Roman Emperor in 1519 led to a collapse of relations between France and the Habsburgs which resulted in the Italian War of 1521, in which France and Venice were pitted against England, the Papacy, and Charles's Habsburg possessions. Prosper Colonna defeated the French at the Battle of Bicocca, driving them from Lombardy.^[6] A series of abortive invasions of France by the allies and of Italy by the French continued until 1524, when Francis personally led a French army into Lombardy, only to be defeated and captured at the Battle of Pavia; imprisoned in Madrid, Francis was forced to agree to extensive concessions. Released in 1526, Francis repudiated the terms of the agreement, allied himself with Venice, the Papacy, Milan, and England, and launched the War of the League of Cognac. In 1527, Imperial troops sacked Rome itself; the French expedition to capture Naples the next year failed, leading Francis and Charles to conclude the Treaty of Cambrai. Charles then concluded a series of treaties at Barcelona and Bologna which eliminated all his opponents save the Florentine Republic, which was subdued by the Siege of Florence and returned to the Medici. Charles V (24 February 1500 â€“ 21 September 1558) was ruler of the Burgundian Netherlands (1506-1555), King of Spain (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily (1516-1554), Archduke of Austria (1519-1521), King of the Romans (or German King), (1519-1556 but did not formally abdicate until 1558) and... The Holy Roman Emperor was, with some variation, the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, the predecessor of modern Germany, during its existence from the 10th century until its collapse in 1806. ... 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€ , Anne de Montmorency Charles V, Charles de Lannoy, Marchese di Pescara, Charles de Bourbon, Prosper Colonna The Italian War of 1521 (1521â€“26), sometimes... 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 Spain Commanders Odet de Lautrec Fernando de Avalos Strength 15. ... 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... Motto: (Spanish for From Madrid to Heaven) Location Coordinates: , Country Spain Autonomous Community Comunidad AutÃ³noma de Madrid Province Madrid Administrative Divisions 21 Neighborhoods 127 Founded 9th century Government - Mayor Alberto Ruiz-GallardÃ³n JimÃ©mez (PP) Area - Land 607 kmÂ² (234. ... 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 ChÃ¢lon â€ Vicomte de Lautrec *, Francesco Ferruccio â€ , Giovanni de Medici â€ , Comte de St. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Bologna (IPA , from Latin Bononia, BulÃ¥ggna in Emiliano-Romagnolo) is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy, in the Pianura Padana, between the Po River and the Apennines, exactly between the Reno River and the SÃ vena River. ... Florence (Italian, Firenze) is a city in the center of Tuscany, in central Italy, on the Arno River, with a population of around 400,000, plus a suburban population in excess of 200,000. ... Combatants Republic of Florence Holy Roman Empire, Spain, Papal States Commanders Malatesta Baglioni Prince of Orange The Siege of Florence took place from October 24, 1529 to August 10, 1530, at the end of the War of the League of Cognac. ... For the board game, see Medici (board game). ...

The remainder of the Italian Wars—which flared up again in 1535—was primarily a struggle between the Habsburgs and the Valois; while Italy was, at times, a battlefield, the Italian states played little further role in the fighting. The French managed to seize and hold Turin, defeating an Imperial army at the Battle of Ceresole in 1544; but the warfare continued (primarily in northern France) until Henry II of France was forced to accept the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis in 1559, in which he renounced any further claims to Italy. Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy; also used as the flag of the Austrian Empire until the Ausgleich of 1867. ... The Valois Dynasty succeeded the Capetian Dynasty as rulers of France from 1328- 1589. ... â€œTorinoâ€ redirects here. ... Combatants France Holy Roman Empire, Spain Commanders Count of Enghien Alfonso dAvalos Strength ~11,000â€“13,000 infantry, ~1,500â€“1,850 cavalry, ~20 guns ~12,500â€“18,000 infantry, ~800â€“1,000 cavalry, ~20 guns Casualties ~7,500â€“2,000+ dead or wounded ~2,000â€“6,000+ dead... Henry II (French: Henri II) (March 31, 1519 â€“ July 10, 1559), a member of the Valois Dynasty, was King of France from March 31, 1547, until his death. ... The Peace of Cateau-CambrÃ©sis is an agreement reached between Elizabeth I of England and Henry II of France on April 2 and between Henry II and Philip II of Spain on April 3, 1559, at Le Cateau-CambrÃ©sis, around twenty kilometres south-east of Cambrai, that ended...

Foreign domination

Italian Unification

Italian unification (called in Italian the Risorgimento, or Resurgence) was the political and social process that unified disparate states of the Italian peninsula into the single nation of Italy. ...

World War I

Monument to the Italian casualties of World War I in Pettinengo, province of Biella. ...

Interwar period

In 1922, Benito Mussolini brought the fascist party to power in Italy with his March on Rome on 28 October. Mussolini repeatedly stated his dream of the Mediterranean Sea becoming an "Italian lake" and valued war, saying "Though words are beautiful things, rifles, machine guns, planes, and cannnon are still more beautiful" ^[7]. Year 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar). ... Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (July 29, 1883 â€“ April 28, 1945) was the prime minister and dictator of Italy from 1922 until 1943, when he was overthrown. ... Italian fascism (in Italian, fascismo) was the authoritarian political movement which ruled Italy from 1922 to 1943 under the leadership of Benito Mussolini. ... For the movie by Dino Risi, see March on Rome (film) The March on Rome was a pseudo-coup dÃ©tat by which Mussolinis National Fascist Party came to power in Italy. ... October 28 is the 301st day of the year (302nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 64 days remaining. ... Composite satellite image of the Mediterranean Sea. ...

Ethiopia

The Second Italo-Abyssinian War was to be Mussolini's way of making up for Italy's embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Ethiopians in the First Italo–Ethiopian War in 1896, and was also a chance to build Italian empire in the last unoccupied region of Africa and divert the populace from economic woes. General Emilio de Bono put on record that preparations for the invasion of Ethiopia (Abyssinia) had been going on since 1932 as roads were being built from Italian Somalia into Ethiopian territory, though Mussolini constantly claimed that he was not a "collector of deserts" and would never think of invading. Ethiopians protested this build-up to war which eventually lead up to a border clash at Walwal. Mussolini called this clash "unprovoked aggression" by Ethiopia and invaded on 3 October 1935, led by De Bono. In only three days the Italians had captured Adwa where the former disgraceful defeat had happened. In December Pietro Badoglio replaced De Bono as commander of the invasion because of De Bono's cautious advance. On 31 March 1936, a desperate final counter-attack by Haile Selassie, king of Ethiopia, was carried out, though word of the attack had already gotten to the Italians, giving them victory in the Battle of Maychew. Only a few days later the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa was conquered, allowing Italy to annex the country on 7 May, proclaiming Victor Emmanuel III Emperor of Italian East Africa. This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Combatants Italy Ethiopia Commanders Oreste Baratieri Menelik II Strength 17,000 100,000 (estimated) Casualties 13,133 17,000 The First Italoâ€“Ethiopian War was fought between Italy and Ethiopia in 1895-1896. ... Year 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar). ... Emilio De Bono Emilio De Bono (March 19, 1866â€“January 11, 1944) was an Italian General who fought in World War I and helped organize the Fascist Party. ... Year 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1932 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 276th day of the year (277th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar). ... The landscape of Adwa Adwa (also spelled Adowa, Aduwa, or Adua) is a market town in northern Ethiopia, and best known as the community closest to the decisive Battle of Adowa fought in 1896. ... Pietro Badoglio (September 28, 1871 - November 1, 1956) was an Italian soldier and politician. ... March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (91st in leap years), with 275 days remaining. ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Haile Selassie Haile Selassie (Power of Trinity) (July 23, 1892 – August 27, 1975) was the last Emperor (1930–1936; 1941–1974) of Ethiopia, and is a religious symbol in the Rastafarian movement. ... The Battle of Maychew was the last major battle of the Second Italo_Abyssinian War, consisting of a failed counter_attack by Haile Selassies forces against the Italian invaders. ... For the long-distance runner, see Addis Abebe. ... is the 127th day of the year (128th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Victor Emmanuel III Victor Emmanuel III (Italian: Vittorio Emanuele III) (November 11, 1869 - December 28, 1947), nicknamed The Soldier, was the King of Italy (July 29, 1900 - May 9, 1946), and claimed the titles Emperor of Ethiopia (1936 - 1943) and King of Albania (1939 - 1943). ... Italian East Africa (Italian: Africa Orientale Italiana) was an Italian colony in Africa. ...

Spain

On 17 July 1936, Francisco Franco and the rest of Nationalist Spain's forces began a rebellion against Republican Spain that was to last three years, called the Spanish Civil War. Franco was fairly sure that he would be able to secure German and Italian help for the spread of Fascism to Spain, sending emissaries out on 20 July to achieve this. Both did indeed pledge support, sending in the Corpo Truppe Volontarie from Italy and the Legión Cóndor from Nazi Germany, as well as weapons and aircraft. Mussolini was very devoted, eventually sending in 37,000 men and huge amounts of planes to ensure that this "campaign against communism" would succeed. The foreign press started to heap pressure on Mussolini when Italian troops suffered a major defeat at Guadalajara, which led to Mussolini sending in normal troops rather than militia to fight in Spain, eventually ruining the Italian economy with the expense of a war Mussolini though would end any day. This war also distracted Italy, allowing Germany to carry out the annexation of Austria with the Anschluss, a move that otherwise may have been a breaking point between the two powers, due to Austria's alliance with Fascist Italy. The war was supposed to be a staging ground for Italian tactics, potential time to fix any creases out of the system, but Italy continued during World War II to use the same tactics as long before that, unlike Germany's new revolutionary war tactics. Download high resolution version (642x942, 63 KB)Poster of the Republican forces during the Spanish Civil War. ... Download high resolution version (642x942, 63 KB)Poster of the Republican forces during the Spanish Civil War. ... is the 198th day of the year (199th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... General Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo TeÃ³dulo Franco Bahamonde (4 December 1892â€“20 November[1] 1975), commonly abbreviated to Francisco Franco (pron. ... The Spanish State (Estado Español) was the formal name of Spain from 1936 to 1978, under the régime of Generalísimo Francisco Franco (d. ... History of Spain series Prehistoric Spain Roman Spain Muslim Conquest of Iberia Timeline of Muslim Occupation Medieval Spain Age of Reconquest Age of Expansion Age of Enlightenment Reaction and Revolution First Spanish Republic The Restoration Second Spanish Republic Spanish Civil War The Dictatorship Modern Spain Topics Economic History Military History... It has been suggested that Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War be merged into this article or section. ... is the 201st day of the year (202nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Corpo Truppe Volontarie (Division of Volunteer Troops) was an Italian expeditionary force which was sent to Spain to support Francisco Franco during the Spanish Civil War. ... Hermann GÃ¶ring delivering an honour (likely to be the Spanienkreuz, Cross of the Spaniards) to a member of the Legion Condor (April 1939) The Legion Condor (LegiÃ³n CÃ³ndor in Spanish and Condor Legion in English) was a unit of Nazi Germanys air force which was sent... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ... Communism is an ideology that seeks to establish a classless, stateless social organization based on common ownership of the means of production. ... The Guadalajara Offensive (8 March – 23 March 1937) was an engagement in the Spanish Civil War. ... German troops march into Austria on 12 March 1938. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

Albania

As Germany was invading Czechoslovakia, Mussolini decided to accompany that invasion with his own invasion of Albania. Albania had long been nearly a puppet state of Italy, several of its military officers actually being Italian themselves ^[8]. However, King Zog was currently in fairly serious debt and wanted help from Italy, so Mussolini sent foreign minister Gian Galeazzo Ciano with a list of demands, which Ciano described as impossible to accept. Once King Zog declined, Mussolini said that he must accept these demands by 7 April 1939, or Italy would invade. The invaders had already disembarked to invade before that time. General Alfredo Guzzoni would lead two Bersaglieri divisions with a battalion of tanks in the invasion, where most resistance was extremely minor, though various organizational problems in the Italian military showed themselves. King Zog fled the country to Greece, granted asylum in Athens, then eventually to get to London. On 12 April, the Albanian parliament voted to unite their country with Italy, giving Victor Emmanuel III the Albanian crown. King Zog of Albania King Zog (October 8, 1895–April 9, 1961) was an Albanian politician and the first king of Albania from 1928 to 1939. ... Galeazzo Ciano. ... April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ... Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Alfredo Guzzoni (1877-1965) was an Italian military officer who served in both World Wars. ... The Bersaglieri are a corps of the Italian army created by General Alessandro Lamarmora in 1836. ... Athens (ancient Greek: Î±á¼± á¼ˆÎ¸á¿†Î½Î±Î¹ (plural), evolving into the modern Î±Î¹ Î‘Î¸Î®Î½Î±Î¹ in Greek until recently, and Î· Î‘Î¸Î®Î½Î± nowadays (IPA : singular see below: Origin of the name ) is both the largest and the capital city of Greece, located in the Attica periphery. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... is the 102nd day of the year (103rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Pact of Steel

On May 22, 1939, the Pact of Steel was signed by Galeazzo Ciano and Joachim von Ribbentrop of Germany, effectively allying the two powers. Despite the fairly good relations the two forces had had, many Italians were against this alliance, thinking of it as more of a submission to Germany, knowing that Italian interests were likely not to be favored in the relationship. The alliance also technically forced Italy to join in any war that Germany had entered, so that Germany could at any time present the paper and force Mussolini to enter, though they did not end up using this right. is the 142nd day of the year (143rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ciano, the Italian Foreign Minister. ... Ulrich Friedrich Wilhelm Joachim von Ribbentrop (born Ulrich Friedrich Wilhelm Joachim Ribbentrop) (April 30, 1893 â€“ October 16, 1946) was Foreign Minister of Germany from 1938 until 1945. ...

World War II

Italy still rightfully hesitated at entering the war that Germany had just begun by invading Poland in September 1939, given their extreme lack of the materials necessary to conduct modern warfare. Like Germany and Japan, Italy did not produce its essential materials at home, depending almost entirely on foreign sources of oil, rubber, and other vital resources. The small amount of these materials that Italy had before World War II was depleted in the Spanish Civil War. Carlo Secillano Favagrossa, Under-Secretary for War Production, warned that Italy would not be ready for such a war until October 1942. This page is intended to serve as a focal point for studying Italian military history during the WWII-era. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ...

France

However, as the war looked increasingly bad for the allies, with the impending German conquest of Belgium, the Netherlands, and France, Mussolini could no longer hold himself back and declared war on the allies on 10 June 1940. To Mussolini it seemed that the war was already nearly over, and he wanted to make sure that Italy at least got a position at the peace tables at the end and obtained such lands as Corsica, Nice, and more North African territory. The Italian offensive against France did not actually begin until ten days after the declaration of war, and Italian troops were very slow to capture territory, while Germany had already taken hold of Paris. By 25 June, the armistice with France had already been arranged, though Italian troops made virtually no progress into French territory. A representation of the changes in territory controlled by Allies and Axis powers over the course of the war. ... June 10 is the 161st day of the year (162nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... â€œCorsicanâ€ redirects here. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) The Eiffel Tower in Paris, as seen from the esplanade du TrocadÃ©ro. ... is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Africa

Mussolini's entry into the war was at least bad news for the United Kingdom, as the Regia Marina would now oppose them in Mediterranean waters. Italian armies in Libya and East Africa could also potentially have knocked British troops completely out of Egypt, having half a million men in Africa compared to the United Kingdom's fifty thousand.^[9] However, British troops took the initiative in Africa while Italy was still having trouble pacifying Ethiopia and General Wavell kept up a constantly moving front of raids on Italian positions that proved to be successful. On 14 June a successful surprise attack was made on Fort Capuzzo by the British, though it was not meant as a permanent gain as the British were using far more mobile tactics at the time. By mid-September, casualty listings indicate that Italy had lost 3,500 troops where the United Kingdom had only lost slightly over 150, despite Italy's land numbers and air superiority at the time. During World War II, the North African Campaign, also known as the Desert War, took place in the North African desert from September 13, 1940 to May 13, 1943. ... The Italian Regia Marina (literally: Royal Navy) dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification. ... Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell, GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, PC (May 5, 1883 â€“ May 24, 1950) was a British field marshal and the commander of British Army forces in the Middle East during World War II. He led British forces to victory over the Italians, only... June 14 is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Fort Capuzzo, at the beginning of World War II, was an Italian fort in Libya, Africa. ...

On 13 September 1940, Italy began a very slow advance eastward into Egypt. The Italians advanced with six divisions. After three days, they stopped and set up a chain of fortified camps near Sidi Barrani. However, the chain of camps were too far apart from one another. This allowed Wavell make a crippling blow to the Italian forces around Sidi Barrani right at the start of what was to become Operation Compass. Richard O'Connor led the initial attack against the Italian camps. O'Connor moved between the camps and around to the Italian rear. This greatly surprised the Italians and the British were able to immediately capture four thousand prisoners. This attack alone could have effectively annihilated the Italian army in North Africa. But the British commanders did not foresee such a large victory. Instead, the initial attack was thought of as a large-scale raid. For this reason, no infantry division was available to press home the British opportunity at Sidi Barrani. So the remaining Italian troops managed to escape safely to Bardia. However, Bardia was captured by the British within three weeks. September 13 is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years). ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Sidi Barrani is a village in Egypt, ~95km from the border with Libya, and ~240km from Tobruk. ... Sidi Barrani is a village in Egypt, ~95km from the border with Libya, and ~240km from Tobruk. ... Combatants Western Desert Force Italian Tenth Army Commanders Richard OConnor Rodolfo Graziani Pietro Maletti â€ Strength 50,000 soldiers 120 guns 275 tanks 100,000 soldiers 1,600 guns 600 light tanks Casualties 494 dead 1,225 wounded 3,000 dead 115,000 captured 400 tanks 1,292 guns Operation... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Sidi Barrani is a village in Egypt, ~95km from the border with Libya, and ~240km from Tobruk. ... Bardia is a geographic region in the Kingdom of Nepal. ... Bardia is a geographic region in the Kingdom of Nepal. ...

The Italian campaign in East Africa was perhaps even less successful. The Italians captured small parts of Sudan, Kenya, and British Somaliland, then took up a defensive posture against an expected counterattack. This counterattack came from the Indian 4th Infantry Division, which drove into Ethiopia with help from an amphibious assault and forces in Kenya, capturing Eritrea in February, Somalia in March, and Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, in April.^[10] Forces in Italian East Africa were somewhat cut short by the Regia Aeronautica's forced presence in the Battle of Britain at the time, leaving only 150 planes in Ethiopia. September 28, 1941. ... The British Somaliland was a British protectorate in the north part of the Horn of Africa, and later part of Somalia and presently the unrecognized Republic of Somaliland. ... Fourth Indian division during world war two served first in egypt where with western desert force it fought the italians who had decided to invaded egypt. ... Italian East Africa (Italian: Africa Orientale Italiana) was an Italian colony in Africa. ... Insignia applied with a decal on the tail of the RÃ¨gia Aeronautica aircraft (reconstruction). ... Combatants United Kingdom Including combatants from:[1] Poland New Zealand Canada Czechoslovakia Belgium Australia South Africa France Ireland United States Jamaica Palestine Rhodesia Germany Including combatants from Italy Commanders Hugh Dowding Hermann GÃ¶ring Strength 754 single-seat fighters 149 two-seat fighters 560 bombers 500 coastal 1,963 total...

Campaigning in North Africa then fell to Erwin Rommel over any Italian generals, as many Panzer units came into the theatre from Germany as the Afrika Korps. However, the bulk of the Axis army in North Africa was still Italian. Rommel was at first very successful, reaching the Egyptian border again in less than a fortnight as he caught Wavell off-guard. Another British offensive was crushed, and Rommel made his way to El Alamein. This made Mussolini believe the end was near, as he flew to Africa, planning to enter the capital of Egypt triumphantly, only to wait three weeks, then fly back to Rome. Field Marshal Montgomery won at El Alamein in October 1942 for the British, however, partly due to a serious lack of supplies for the Axis. This victory coincided with Operation Torch, America's landing in French North Africa, and the Battle of Stalingrad's outcome, destroying axis morale. Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel ( ) (15 November 1891 â€“ 14 October 1944) was one of the most distinguished German field marshals of World War II. He was the commander of the Deutsches Afrika Korps and also became known by the nickname â€œThe Desert Foxâ€ (WÃ¼stenfuchs, ) for the skillful military campaigns he... Panzer IV Ausf. ... The seal of the Deutsches Afrikakorps. ... Sup G There were two battles of El Alamein, both during 1942. ... Bernard Law Montgomery Field Marshal The Right Honourable Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO (17 November 1887â€“24 March 1976) was a British Army officer, most noted for his involvement in World War II and often referred to as Monty. // Early life and World War... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... Combatants United States United Kingdom Free French Forces Vichy France Commanders Dwight Eisenhower Andrew Cunningham FranÃ§ois Darlan Strength 73,500 60,000 Casualties 479+ dead 720 wounded 1,346+ dead 1,997 wounded Operation Torch (initially called Operation Gymnast) was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in... Combatants Nazi Germany Romania Italy Hungary Soviet Union Commanders Adolf Hitler Friedrich Paulus # Erich von Manstein Hermann Hoth Petre Dumitrescu Constantin Constantinescu Italo Garibaldi Gusztav Jany Vasiliy Chuikov Aleksandr Vasilyevskiy Georgiy Zhukov Semyon Timoshenko Konstantin Rokossovskiy Rodion Malinovskiy Andrei Yeremenko Strength Army Group B: German Sixth Army German Fourth Panzer...

Greece

With very little preparation after this disaster in Africa and the ensuing retirement of Rodolfo Graziani, Mussolini then decided on an invasion of Greece as his next move to keep in pace with Germany's recent occupation of Romania. After large propaganda campaigns and even the sinking of a Greek light cruiser, Mussolini then handed an ultimatum to Ioannis Metaxas, Prime Minister of Greece, which would initiate the Greco-Italian War. Hitler was against Mussolini's invasion, (as it would require German troops' help later on), but Mussolini continued without German knowledge, as he felt that the Nazis had invaded countries too many times without telling Mussolini beforehand. Rodolfo Graziani, Marchese di Neghelli (August 11, 1882â€”January 11, 1955), was an Italian military officer who led expeditions in Africa before and during World War II and a war criminal responsible for thousands of Libyan and Ethiopian civilian deaths. ... Ioannis Metaxas (Greek Î™Ï‰Î¬Î½Î½Î·Ï‚ ÎœÎµÏ„Î±Î¾Î¬Ï‚, April 12, 1871 â€“ January 29, 1941) was a Greek General and the Prime Minister of Greece from 1936 until his death in 1941. ... Combatants Italy Greece Commanders Sebastiano Visconti Prasca Ubaldo Soddu Ugo Cavallero Giovanni Messe Alexander Papagos Strength 529,000 men Under 300,000 men Casualties 13,755 dead, 50,874 wounded, 25,067 missing, 12,368 incapacitated by frostbites, ca. ...

Mussolini was very unsure of what date to invade, as he changed his mind many times, even five times in one segment of fifteen minutes. ^[11] Eventually he decided on 28 October, the anniversary of the March on Rome, though staff headquarters was not aware until they heard the date on London radio. In about two weeks, the Italian army was already retreating back into Albania, for conditions at this time of year were very detrimental to mountain warfare and general organization problems continued throughout the military. Franco of the recently victorious Fascist side in the Spanish Civil War was pondering entrance into World War II, but Italy's failure in Greece put him off of the idea. Hitler then came in to rescue Mussolini's troops, gaining him the upper hand in all politics and military operations for the rest of the war. For the movie by Dino Risi, see March on Rome (film) The March on Rome was a pseudo-coup dÃ©tat by which Mussolinis National Fascist Party came to power in Italy. ...

Soviet Union

Mussolini was actually in the middle of negotiating a commercial treaty with the Soviet Union when Hitler invaded his former ally in fighting Poland. However, Mussolini was taken once again by Hitler's promise of quick victory and would eventually send a total of 200,000 troops as the Italian Eighth Army to the Russian front for Operation Barbarossa, organized as the CSIR, Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia. To begin with, three whole divisions were sent, though only one division at all motorized, but having no tanks. Combatants Germany, Romania, Finland, Italy, Hungary, Slovakia Soviet Union Commanders Adolf Hitler Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb Fedor von Bock Gerd von Rundstedt GÃ¼nther von Kluge Heinz Guderian Ernst Busch Georg von KÃ¼chler Wilhelm List Erich von Manstein Ion Antonescu C.G.E. Mannerheim Giovanni Messe Italo Gariboldi Mikl...

After some large initial losses in the "Celere" Division, Mussolini sent four new infantry divisions and three Alpini (alpine) divisions to the Soviet Union to officially make his forces an army. But instead of being deployed in the Caucasus Mountains as expected, the Italian units were tasked with holding the front in the Don river plains. As a result of this disastrous strategic decision, the Alpine troops armed, trained and equipped for mountain warfare and the under strength Italian infantry divisions were pitted against tanks and mechanized infantry, to counter which they were neither equipped nor trained. The Soviet offensive Operation Little Saturn wiped out the majority of the Italian troops, with only the "Tridentina" division escaping annihilation. By the end of February 1943, the few remaining Italian troops were being withdrawn, a huge blow to public opinion of the Fascist government in Italy. The Alpini are a highly decorated elite infantry corps of the Italian Army. ... The Don (Ð”Ð¾Ð½) is one of the major rivers of Russia. ... The Italian campaign in the Soviet Union started on 14 July 1941, when Benito Mussolini joined Operation Barbarossa by ordering the preparation of an Italian military contingent destined for the Eastern Front. ... Coat of Arms of the Tridentina Alpini Brigade The Alpini Brigade Tridentina was a light Infantry brigade of the Italian Army, specializing in Mountain Combat. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Sicily and armistice

On 10 July 1943, a combined force of American and British Commonwealth troops invaded Sicily in Operation Husky. German generals again took the lead in the defence and, although they lost the island, they succeeded in ferrying large numbers of German and Italian forces safely off Sicily to the Italian mainland. With the loss of Sicily, popular support for the war diminished in Italy. On 25 July 1943, the Grand Council of Fascism ousted Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and a new Italian government, led by General Pietro Badoglio and King Victor Emmanuel III, took over in Italy. The new Italian government immediately began secret negotiations with the Allies to end the fighting and to come over to the Allied side. On 3 September, a secret armistice was signed with the Allies at Fairfield Camp in Sicily. The armistice was announced on 8 September. By then, the Allies were on the Italian mainland. is the 191st day of the year (192nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sicily (Sicilia in Italian and Sicilian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,708 kmÂ² (9,926 sq. ... Husky was also the codename of Australian military support to Sierra Leone ending in February 2003. ... is the 206th day of the year (207th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Grand Council of Fascism (Italian: ) was the main body of Mussolinis Fascist government in Italy. ... Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (July 29, 1883 â€“ April 28, 1945) was the prime minister and dictator of Italy from 1922 until 1943, when he was overthrown. ... Pietro Badoglio (September 28, 1871 - November 1, 1956) was an Italian soldier and politician. ... Victor Emmanuel III (Italian: ; 11 November 1869 â€“ 28 December 1947) was King of Italy (29 July 1900 â€“ 9 May 1946), Emperor of Ethiopia (1936â€“43) and King of Albania (1939â€“43). ... is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... September 8 is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Italian Republic

Lebanon Intervention (1982-1984)

In 1982, after the Sabra and Chatila Massacre, Italian forces deployed in Lebanon, together with United States and France, a force of around 3000 troops, led by then Brigadier General Angioni, whose in the end was the most successful of the three deployed forces, raising the confidence of Italian leadership and people in the Armed Forces, recovering the low esteem in the public opinion caused by the defeat in World War II and paving the way to the subsequent increase in overseas missions for the Italian military. Combatants Lebanese Phalangist No combatants Commanders Elie Hobeika No commander Strength 150 irregulars Unarmed civilian population Casualties 2 700 - 3,500 civilians The Sabra and Shatila massacre (or Sabra and Chatila massacre; Arabic: ØµØ¨Ø±Ø§ ÙˆØ´Ø§ØªÙŠÙ„Ø§) was carried out in September 1982 by Lebanese Maronite Christian militias against refugee camps. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

War on Terrorism

The ‘War on Terrorism’ is a campaign by the United States, supported by several NATO members and other allies, including Italy, with the stated goal of ending international terrorism. The ‘War on Terrorism’ (in its current context) is the name given by the George W. Bush administration to the efforts launched in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington, D.C. by al-Qaeda. NATO 2002 Summit in Prague. ... Terrorist redirects here. ... The Bush administration includes President George W. Bush, Vice President Richard Cheney, Bushs Cabinet, and other select officials and advisors. ... A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11â€”pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Nickname: Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location of Washington, D.C., in relation to the states Maryland and Virginia Coordinates: , Country United States Federal District District of Columbia Government - Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) - District Council Chairperson: Vincent C. Gray (D) Ward 1: Jim Graham (D) Ward 2: Jack... Al-Qaeda (Arabic: القاعدة, the foundation or the base) is the name given to a worldwide network of militant Islamist organizations under the leadership of Osama bin Laden. ...

As part of Operation Enduring Freedom in response to those attacks, Italy deployed naval warships including the Italian aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi, from which Italian Harriers were available to provide close air support. Italian forces have contributed to ISAF, the NATO force in Afghanistan, and a Provincial reconstruction team and 5 Italian soldiers have died under ISAF. Italy has sent 411 troops, based on one infantry company from the 2 Alpini Regiment tasked to protect the ISAF HQ, one engineer company, one NBC platoon, one logistic unit, as well as liaison and staff elements integrated into the operation chain of command. Italian forces also command a multinational engineer task force and have deployed a platoon of Italian military police. Three AB 212 helicopters also are deployed to Kabul. Combatants United States Canada Australia United Kingdom Netherlands Philippines (in the Philippines theatre only) Northern Alliance GUAM Poland Italy Visegrad Group Hungary Ethiopia Somalia Estonia Latvia Lithuania Slovakia Vilnius group Croatia Albania Macedonia Romania Bulgaria Taliban al-Qaeda Abu Sayyaf Jemaah Islamiyah Islamic Courts Union Commanders General Tommy Franks Brig. ... The aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi (551) is the current flagship of the Marina Militare Italiana, the Italian Navy. ... April 7th 2003: an AV-8B Harrier Jump Jet takes off from the assault ship USS Nassau, to engage targets over Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom The Harrier II is a family of second generation vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) jet aircraft of the late 20th... An Apache attack helicopter provides close air support to United States Army soldiers patrolling the Tigris River southeast of Baghdad, Iraq during the Iraq War. ... ISAF can stand for: International Sailing Federation International Security Assistance Force This is a disambiguation page â€” a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... A Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) is an administrative unit of international aid to Afghanistan, consisting of a small operating base from which a group of sixty to more than one hundred civilians and military specialists work to perform small reconstruction projects or provide security for others involved in aid work. ... The 2nd Alpini Regiment is a light Infantry regiment of the Italian Army, specializing in Mountain Combat. ... The MP Command providing security coverage at the Padang in Singapore during the National Day Parade in 2000. ... The Bell 212 Twin Huey (also known as the Twin Two-Twelve) is a medium civilian helicopter that first flew in 1968. ...

Multinational force in Iraq

The multinational force in Iraq, also known as the 'Coalition' or 'US-led coalition', refers to the nations whose governments have military personnel in Iraq. The Italian Army did not take part in initial combat operations of the 2003 Second Gulf War, despatching troops only after May 1, 2003 - when major combat operations were declared over by the U.S. President George W. Bush. Subsequently Italian troops arrived in the late summer of 2003, and began patrolling Nasiriyah and the surrounding area. On 26 May, 2006, Italian foreign minister Massimo D'Alema announced that the Italian forces would be reduced to 1,600 by June. As of June 2006 32 Italian troops have been killed in Iraq - with the greatest single loss of life coming on November 12, 2004 - a suicide car bombing of the Italian Carabinieri Corps HQ left a dozen Carabinieri, five Army soldiers, two Italian civilians, and eight Iraqi civilians dead. For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ... The presidential seal is a well-known symbol of the presidency. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... NÄÅŸirÄ«yah (also transliterated as Nassiriya or Nasiriya; in Arabic Ø§Ù„Ù†Ø§ØµØ±ÙŠØ©, al-Nasiriyah or an-Nasiriyah) is a city in Iraq. ...

Notes

References

Jeremy Black MBE is British historian and a Professor of History at the University of Exeter. ... ISSN, or International Standard Serial Number, is the unique eight-digit number applied to a periodical publication including electronic serials. ... Wim Blockmans, born in Antwerp, Belgium, in 1945. ... Guicciardini Francesco Guicciardini (March 6, 1483 - May 22, 1540) was an Italian historian and statesman. ... The military historian Basil Liddell Hart. ... John Julius Cooper, 2nd Viscount Norwich CVO (born 15 September 1929) is an English historian, travel writer and television personality known as John Julius Norwich. ... Sir Charles William Chadwick Oman (January 12, 1860 - June 23, 1946) was a notable British military historian of the early 20th century. ...

External links

v • d • e

Military history of Europe

Albania · Andorra · Armenia² · Austria · Azerbaijan⁴ · Belarus · Belgium · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus² · Czech Republic · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France · Georgia⁴ · Germany · Greece¹ · Hungary · Iceland · Ireland · Italy · Kazakhstan¹ · Latvia · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Republic of Macedonia · Malta · Moldova · Monaco · Montenegro · Netherlands · Norway · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Russia¹ · San Marino · Serbia · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain · Sweden · Switzerland · Turkey¹ · Ukraine · United Kingdom // Due to the numerous countries that grew out of Medieval feudalism and de-centralization from the Western Roman Empires fall, different nations have had a power struggle. ...

Dependencies, autonomies, and other territories
Abkhazia⁴ · Adjara² · Akrotiri and Dhekelia · Åland · Azores · Crimea · Faroe Islands · Gagauzia · Gibraltar · Guernsey · Jan Mayen · Jersey · Kosovo · Man, Isle of · Madeira⁵ · Nagorno-Karabakh² · Nakhchivan² · South Ossetia⁴ · Svalbard · Transnistria · Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus^2, 3 A dependent territory, dependent area or dependency is a territory that does not possess full political independence or sovereignty as a State. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Types of administrative and/or political territories include: A legally administered territory, which is a non-sovereign geographic area that has come under the authority of another government. ... Nagorno-Karabakh Self-Defense forces on parade in Stepanakert in 1995. ...

¹ Partly or significantly in Asia. ² Entirely in West Asia, but considered European for cultural, political and historical reasons. ³ Only recognised by Turkey. ⁴ Partially or entirely in Asia, depending on the definition of the border between Europe and Asia. ⁵ Entirely in the African Plate, but considered European for cultural, political and historical reasons. A transcontinental country is a country belonging to more than one continent. ... World map showing the location of Asia. ... A map showing Southwest Asia - The term Middle East is more often used to refer to both Southwest Asia and some North African countries Southwest Asia, or West Asia, is the southwestern part of Asia. ... The African plate, shown in pinkish-orange The African Plate is a tectonic plate covering the continent of Africa and extending westward to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. ...

Contents

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