Battle of Arbedo
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Arbedo was fought on June 30, 1422 between the Duchy of Milan
and the Swiss Confederation.
In 1419, Uri
and Unterwalden
bought the Bellinzona
stronghold from the Sacco
barons, but were unable to defend it adequately. When, in 1422, they rejected the Milanese
proposal to buy back the fortified town, their troops stationed in Bellinzona were put to rout by the Visconti
army under the command of Francesco Bussone, called Il Carmagnola
. An attempt to reconquer the fortified area with the support of other confederates led to the battle at Arbedo
, a village 3 km north of Bellinzona. The Count of Carmagnola led the forces of the Duchy of Milan against the Swiss and was victorious.
The Swiss were mainly equipped with halberds and had an initial success against the Lombard
cavalry charge. Then Carmagnola brought his crossbowmen forward, while dismounting his cavalry. The dismounted men-at-arms used pikes which outreached the halberds. The Swiss were further under pressure by the crossbow fire on the flanks.
The Milanese force began to push back the Swiss, who were only saved from total disaster by the appearance of a band of foragers, whom the Milanese were convinced represented a major new force. When the Milanese force pulled back to reform, the Swiss fled the battlefield, having taken heavy casualties.
The victory secured Bellinzona
and the Leventina to the Duchy. In addition the Duchy gained the Val d'Ossola, thus the Swiss losing all the territorial gains they had made. The defeat discouraged the Swiss expansionist intentions towards Lake Maggiore
for a long time. It was the defeat at Arbedo that made the Swiss increase the number of pikemen.
Duchy of Milan
The Duchy of Milan , was created on the 1st of may 1395, when Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Lord of Milan, purchased a diploma for 100,000 Florins from King Wenceslaus. It was this diploma that installed, Gian Galeazzo as Duke of Milan and Count of Pavia...
and the Swiss Confederation.
In 1419, Uri
Canton of Uri
Uri is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and a founding member of the Swiss Confederation. It is located in Central Switzerland. The canton's territory covers the valley of the Reuss River between Lake Lucerne and the St. Gotthard Pass. German is the primary language spoken in Uri...
and Unterwalden
Unterwalden
Unterwalden is the old name of a forest-canton of the Old Swiss Confederacy in central Switzerland, south of Lake Lucerne, consisting of two valleys or Talschaften, now organized as two half-cantons, an upper part, Obwalden, and a lower part, Nidwalden.Unterwalden was one of the three participants...
bought the Bellinzona
Bellinzona
Bellinzona is the administrative capital of the canton Ticino in Switzerland. The city is famous for its three castles that have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2000....
stronghold from the Sacco
Sacco
Sacco is a town and comune in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy.-Overview:Sacco is known as La Città della Buona Fortuna , because many of its inhabitants have gone on to accomplish many great things...
barons, but were unable to defend it adequately. When, in 1422, they rejected the Milanese
Duchy of Milan
The Duchy of Milan , was created on the 1st of may 1395, when Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Lord of Milan, purchased a diploma for 100,000 Florins from King Wenceslaus. It was this diploma that installed, Gian Galeazzo as Duke of Milan and Count of Pavia...
proposal to buy back the fortified town, their troops stationed in Bellinzona were put to rout by the Visconti
House of Visconti
Visconti is the family name of two important Italian noble dynasties of the Middle Ages. There are two distinct Visconti families: The first one in the Republic of Pisa in the mid twelfth century who achieved prominence first in Pisa, then in Sardinia where they became rulers of Gallura...
army under the command of Francesco Bussone, called Il Carmagnola
Francesco Bussone da Carmagnola
Francesco Bussone, often called Count of Carmagnola , was an Italian condottiero.- Biography :Francesco Bussone was born at Carmagnola, near Turin, in a humble peasant family....
. An attempt to reconquer the fortified area with the support of other confederates led to the battle at Arbedo
Arbedo-Castione
Arbedo-Castione is a municipality in the district of Bellinzona in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:The Early Bronze Age Hoard of Castione contains material from north of the Alps. This large find indicates that the area was an important trading and transportation center during the...
, a village 3 km north of Bellinzona. The Count of Carmagnola led the forces of the Duchy of Milan against the Swiss and was victorious.
The Swiss were mainly equipped with halberds and had an initial success against the Lombard
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
cavalry charge. Then Carmagnola brought his crossbowmen forward, while dismounting his cavalry. The dismounted men-at-arms used pikes which outreached the halberds. The Swiss were further under pressure by the crossbow fire on the flanks.
The Milanese force began to push back the Swiss, who were only saved from total disaster by the appearance of a band of foragers, whom the Milanese were convinced represented a major new force. When the Milanese force pulled back to reform, the Swiss fled the battlefield, having taken heavy casualties.
The victory secured Bellinzona
Bellinzona
Bellinzona is the administrative capital of the canton Ticino in Switzerland. The city is famous for its three castles that have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2000....
and the Leventina to the Duchy. In addition the Duchy gained the Val d'Ossola, thus the Swiss losing all the territorial gains they had made. The defeat discouraged the Swiss expansionist intentions towards Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest of Italy and largest of southern Switzerland. Lake Maggiore is the most westerly of the three great prealpine lakes of Italy, it extends for about 70 km between Locarno and Arona.The climate is mild...
for a long time. It was the defeat at Arbedo that made the Swiss increase the number of pikemen.
Sources
- P. Pieri: Il Rinascimento e la crisi militare italiana
- M. Mallett: Mercenaries and their Masters: Warfare in Renaissance Italy
- E. Pometta: Come il Ticino venne in potere degli Svizzeri. Bellinzona
- A. Battistella: Il conte di Carmagnola