Battle of the Sesia (1524)
Encyclopedia
The Battle of the Sesia or Battle of the Sesia River, took place near the Sesia River
(Latin
: Sesites or Sessite), situated in north-western Italy
, Lombardy
, on 30 April, 1524, between the Spanish-Imperial forces commanded by Don Carlos de Lannoy
, inflicted a decisive defeat to the French forces under the Admiral Guillaume Gouffier, Lord of Bonnivet
and Francis de Bourbon, Comte de St. Pol
, during the Italian War of 1521–1526.
at the start of the Italian War of 1521–1526, had been forced to abandon it after their defeat at the Battle of Bicocca
in 1522.
The Battle of the Sesia or Battle of the Sesia River, took place near the Sesia River
(Latin
: Sesites or Sessite), situated in north-western Italy
, Lombardy
, on 30 April, 1524, between the Spanish-Imperial forces commanded by Don Carlos de Lannoy
, inflicted a decisive defeatHackett p.277Hackett p.278 to the French forces under the Admiral Guillaume Gouffier, Lord of Bonnivet
and Francis de Bourbon, Comte de St. Pol
, during the Italian War of 1521–1526.Hackett p.277Hackett p.278Konstam p.28Taylor 53–54
at the start of the Italian War of 1521–1526, had been forced to abandon it after their defeat at the Battle of Bicocca
in 1522.
The Battle of the Sesia or Battle of the Sesia River, took place near the Sesia River
(Latin
: Sesites or Sessite), situated in north-western Italy
, Lombardy
, on 30 April, 1524, between the Spanish-Imperial forces commanded by Don Carlos de Lannoy
, inflicted a decisive defeatHackett p.277Hackett p.278 to the French forces under the Admiral Guillaume Gouffier, Lord of Bonnivet
and Francis de Bourbon, Comte de St. Pol
, during the Italian War of 1521–1526.Hackett p.277Hackett p.278Konstam p.28Taylor 53–54
at the start of the Italian War of 1521–1526, had been forced to abandon it after their defeat at the Battle of Bicocca
in 1522.Hackett 277–278 Determined to regain it, Francis I of France
ordered an invasion of the region in October of 1523, with an army of 18,000 men commanded by Guillaume Gouffier, Lord of Bonnivet
. The French army advanced through the Piedmont
to Novara
, where it was joined by a similarly sized force of Swiss mercenaries
. Prospero Colonna
, who had only 9,000 men to oppose the French advance, finally decided to retreat to Milan
.
Bonnivet, however, over-estimated the size of the Spanish-Imperial army and moved into winter quarters rather than attacking the city; and the commanders of the Emperor Charles were able to summon 15,000 landsknechts and a large Spanish force under Charles of Bourbon
's command by December 28, when Lannoy replaced to Colonna, meanwhile, Bonnivet began his withdrawal.Konstam 27–28
The forces of Charles de Lannoy and of Guillaume Gouffier
clashed near the Sesia River
, on 30 April, when the Spanish-Imperial troops intercepted the French. The Bonnivet's forces (where many of the Swiss mercenaries abandoned the French army) suffered a decisive defeat by Lannoy's forces. The French commander, Pierre Terrail, Lord of Bayard
, was killed while commanding the French rearguard, and he again demonstrated the power of the Spanish arquebusiers against more traditional troops. Finally the French army retreated into the Alps
in disarray.
The forces of the Emperor Charles I-V defeated again the armies of Francis I, and the French offensive was a failure.
, commanded by Don Fernando d'Avalos and Charles de Bourbon
, crossed the Alps with nearly 11,000 men. The Spanish-Imperial forces captured and sacked the most of the smaller towns of Provence, and finally Charles de Bourbon entered the provincial capital of Aix-en-Provence
on 9 August, taking the title of Count
of Provence
.Konstam 28–29
By mid-August, Fernando d'Avalos and Charles de Bourbon a had besieged Marseille, the only stronghold in Provence that remained in French hands. Their assaults over the city failed, and when the French army commanded by Francis I himself arrived at Avignon
at the end of September, they were forced to retreat back to Italy
.
In mid-October, the King Francis I crossed the Alps and advanced on Milan
at the head of an army numbering more than 40,000 men.
Sesia River
The Sesia is a river in north-western Italy, tributary to the Po. Its sources are the glaciers of Monte Rosa at the border with Switzerland. It flows through the Alpine valley Valsesia and the towns Varallo Sesia, Quarona, Borgosesia and Vercelli...
(Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
: Sesites or Sessite), situated in north-western Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Lombardy
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...
, on 30 April, 1524, between the Spanish-Imperial forces commanded by Don Carlos de Lannoy
Charles de Lannoy
Charles de Lannoy was a soldier and statesman from the Low Countries in service of the Habsburg Emperors Maximilian I and Charles V of Spain....
, inflicted a decisive defeat to the French forces under the Admiral Guillaume Gouffier, Lord of Bonnivet
Guillaume Gouffier, seigneur de Bonnivet
Guillaume Gouffier, seigneur de Bonnivet was a French soldier.The younger brother of Artus Gouffier, seigneur de Boisy, tutor of Francis I of France, Bonnivet was brought up with Francis, and after the young king's accession he became one of the most powerful of the royal favourites. In 1515 he...
and Francis de Bourbon, Comte de St. Pol
Francis de Bourbon, Count of St. Pol
Francis I de Bourbon-Saint-Pol, Count of St. Pol and of Chaumont , was a French nobleman, Count of Saint-Pol, Duke of Estouteville and important military commander during the Italian Wars.Francis was the second son of Francis, Count of Vendôme and Marie of Luxembourg, Countess of Vendôme.He was...
, during the Italian War of 1521–1526.
Bonnivet's offensive of 1523–1524
The French, in possession of the Italian region of LombardyLombardy
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...
at the start of the Italian War of 1521–1526, had been forced to abandon it after their defeat at the Battle of Bicocca
Battle of Bicocca
The Battle of Bicocca or La Bicocca was fought on April 27, 1522, during the Italian War of 1521–26. A combined French and Venetian force under Odet de Foix, Vicomte de Lautrec, was decisively defeated by a Spanish-Imperial and Papal army under the overall command of Prospero Colonna...
in 1522.
The Battle of the Sesia or Battle of the Sesia River, took place near the Sesia River
Sesia River
The Sesia is a river in north-western Italy, tributary to the Po. Its sources are the glaciers of Monte Rosa at the border with Switzerland. It flows through the Alpine valley Valsesia and the towns Varallo Sesia, Quarona, Borgosesia and Vercelli...
(Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
: Sesites or Sessite), situated in north-western Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Lombardy
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...
, on 30 April, 1524, between the Spanish-Imperial forces commanded by Don Carlos de Lannoy
Charles de Lannoy
Charles de Lannoy was a soldier and statesman from the Low Countries in service of the Habsburg Emperors Maximilian I and Charles V of Spain....
, inflicted a decisive defeatHackett p.277Hackett p.278 to the French forces under the Admiral Guillaume Gouffier, Lord of Bonnivet
Guillaume Gouffier, seigneur de Bonnivet
Guillaume Gouffier, seigneur de Bonnivet was a French soldier.The younger brother of Artus Gouffier, seigneur de Boisy, tutor of Francis I of France, Bonnivet was brought up with Francis, and after the young king's accession he became one of the most powerful of the royal favourites. In 1515 he...
and Francis de Bourbon, Comte de St. Pol
Francis de Bourbon, Count of St. Pol
Francis I de Bourbon-Saint-Pol, Count of St. Pol and of Chaumont , was a French nobleman, Count of Saint-Pol, Duke of Estouteville and important military commander during the Italian Wars.Francis was the second son of Francis, Count of Vendôme and Marie of Luxembourg, Countess of Vendôme.He was...
, during the Italian War of 1521–1526.Hackett p.277Hackett p.278Konstam p.28Taylor 53–54
Bonnivet's offensive of 1523–1524
The French, in possession of the Italian region of LombardyLombardy
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...
at the start of the Italian War of 1521–1526, had been forced to abandon it after their defeat at the Battle of Bicocca
Battle of Bicocca
The Battle of Bicocca or La Bicocca was fought on April 27, 1522, during the Italian War of 1521–26. A combined French and Venetian force under Odet de Foix, Vicomte de Lautrec, was decisively defeated by a Spanish-Imperial and Papal army under the overall command of Prospero Colonna...
in 1522.
The Battle of the Sesia or Battle of the Sesia River, took place near the Sesia River
Sesia River
The Sesia is a river in north-western Italy, tributary to the Po. Its sources are the glaciers of Monte Rosa at the border with Switzerland. It flows through the Alpine valley Valsesia and the towns Varallo Sesia, Quarona, Borgosesia and Vercelli...
(Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
: Sesites or Sessite), situated in north-western Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Lombardy
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...
, on 30 April, 1524, between the Spanish-Imperial forces commanded by Don Carlos de Lannoy
Charles de Lannoy
Charles de Lannoy was a soldier and statesman from the Low Countries in service of the Habsburg Emperors Maximilian I and Charles V of Spain....
, inflicted a decisive defeatHackett p.277Hackett p.278 to the French forces under the Admiral Guillaume Gouffier, Lord of Bonnivet
Guillaume Gouffier, seigneur de Bonnivet
Guillaume Gouffier, seigneur de Bonnivet was a French soldier.The younger brother of Artus Gouffier, seigneur de Boisy, tutor of Francis I of France, Bonnivet was brought up with Francis, and after the young king's accession he became one of the most powerful of the royal favourites. In 1515 he...
and Francis de Bourbon, Comte de St. Pol
Francis de Bourbon, Count of St. Pol
Francis I de Bourbon-Saint-Pol, Count of St. Pol and of Chaumont , was a French nobleman, Count of Saint-Pol, Duke of Estouteville and important military commander during the Italian Wars.Francis was the second son of Francis, Count of Vendôme and Marie of Luxembourg, Countess of Vendôme.He was...
, during the Italian War of 1521–1526.Hackett p.277Hackett p.278Konstam p.28Taylor 53–54
Bonnivet's offensive of 1523–1524
The French, in possession of the Italian region of LombardyLombardy
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...
at the start of the Italian War of 1521–1526, had been forced to abandon it after their defeat at the Battle of Bicocca
Battle of Bicocca
The Battle of Bicocca or La Bicocca was fought on April 27, 1522, during the Italian War of 1521–26. A combined French and Venetian force under Odet de Foix, Vicomte de Lautrec, was decisively defeated by a Spanish-Imperial and Papal army under the overall command of Prospero Colonna...
in 1522.Hackett 277–278 Determined to regain it, Francis I of France
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
ordered an invasion of the region in October of 1523, with an army of 18,000 men commanded by Guillaume Gouffier, Lord of Bonnivet
Guillaume Gouffier, seigneur de Bonnivet
Guillaume Gouffier, seigneur de Bonnivet was a French soldier.The younger brother of Artus Gouffier, seigneur de Boisy, tutor of Francis I of France, Bonnivet was brought up with Francis, and after the young king's accession he became one of the most powerful of the royal favourites. In 1515 he...
. The French army advanced through the Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
to Novara
Novara
Novara is the capital city of the province of Novara in the Piedmont region in northwest Italy, to the west of Milan. With c. 105,000 inhabitants, it is the second most populous city in Piedmont after Turin. It is an important crossroads for commercial traffic along the routes from Milan to Turin...
, where it was joined by a similarly sized force of Swiss mercenaries
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
. Prospero Colonna
Prospero Colonna
Prospero Colonna , sometimes referred to as Prosper Colonna, was an Italian condottiero in the service of the Papal States and the Holy Roman Empire during the Italian Wars.-Biography:...
, who had only 9,000 men to oppose the French advance, finally decided to retreat to Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
.
Bonnivet, however, over-estimated the size of the Spanish-Imperial army and moved into winter quarters rather than attacking the city; and the commanders of the Emperor Charles were able to summon 15,000 landsknechts and a large Spanish force under Charles of Bourbon
Charles III, Duke of Bourbon
Charles III, Duke of Bourbon was a French military leader, the Count of Montpensier and Dauphin of Auvergne. He commanded the Imperial troops of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V in what became known as the Sack of Rome in 1527, where he was killed.-Biography:Charles was born at Montpensier...
's command by December 28, when Lannoy replaced to Colonna, meanwhile, Bonnivet began his withdrawal.Konstam 27–28
Battle of the Sesia
Guillaume Gouffier, seigneur de Bonnivet
Guillaume Gouffier, seigneur de Bonnivet was a French soldier.The younger brother of Artus Gouffier, seigneur de Boisy, tutor of Francis I of France, Bonnivet was brought up with Francis, and after the young king's accession he became one of the most powerful of the royal favourites. In 1515 he...
clashed near the Sesia River
Sesia River
The Sesia is a river in north-western Italy, tributary to the Po. Its sources are the glaciers of Monte Rosa at the border with Switzerland. It flows through the Alpine valley Valsesia and the towns Varallo Sesia, Quarona, Borgosesia and Vercelli...
, on 30 April, when the Spanish-Imperial troops intercepted the French. The Bonnivet's forces (where many of the Swiss mercenaries abandoned the French army) suffered a decisive defeat by Lannoy's forces. The French commander, Pierre Terrail, Lord of Bayard
Pierre Terrail, seigneur de Bayard
Pierre Terrail LeVieux, seigneur de Bayard was a French soldier, generally known as the Chevalier de Bayard. Throughout the centuries since his death, he has been known as "the knight without fear and beyond reproach"...
, was killed while commanding the French rearguard, and he again demonstrated the power of the Spanish arquebusiers against more traditional troops. Finally the French army retreated into the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
in disarray.
The forces of the Emperor Charles I-V defeated again the armies of Francis I, and the French offensive was a failure.
Consequences
In early July of 1524, Lannoy launched an invasion of ProvenceProvence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
, commanded by Don Fernando d'Avalos and Charles de Bourbon
Charles III, Duke of Bourbon
Charles III, Duke of Bourbon was a French military leader, the Count of Montpensier and Dauphin of Auvergne. He commanded the Imperial troops of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V in what became known as the Sack of Rome in 1527, where he was killed.-Biography:Charles was born at Montpensier...
, crossed the Alps with nearly 11,000 men. The Spanish-Imperial forces captured and sacked the most of the smaller towns of Provence, and finally Charles de Bourbon entered the provincial capital of Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
on 9 August, taking the title of Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
of Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
.Konstam 28–29
By mid-August, Fernando d'Avalos and Charles de Bourbon a had besieged Marseille, the only stronghold in Provence that remained in French hands. Their assaults over the city failed, and when the French army commanded by Francis I himself arrived at Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
at the end of September, they were forced to retreat back to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
In mid-October, the King Francis I crossed the Alps and advanced on Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
at the head of an army numbering more than 40,000 men.
See also
- List of battles of the Italian Wars
- Italian campaign of 1524–1525Italian campaign of 1524–1525The Italian campaign of 1524–25 was the final significant action of the Italian War of 1521–26.- Prelude :The French, in possession of Lombardy at the start of the Italian War of 1521, had been forced to abandon it after their defeat at the Battle of Bicocca in 1522...
- List of Governors of the Duchy of Milan
- Battle of PaviaBattle of PaviaThe Battle of Pavia, fought on the morning of 24 February 1525, was the decisive engagement of the Italian War of 1521–26.A Spanish-Imperial army under the nominal command of Charles de Lannoy attacked the French army under the personal command of Francis I of France in the great hunting preserve...
- Italian WarsItalian WarsThe Italian Wars, often referred to as the Great Italian Wars or the Great Wars of Italy and sometimes as the Habsburg–Valois Wars, were a series of conflicts from 1494 to 1559 that involved, at various times, most of the city-states of Italy, the Papal States, most of the major states of Western...