Battle of Rapallo
Battle of Rapallo | |||||||
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Part of the First Italian War | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
File:Pavillon royal de la France.svg France File:Flag of Milan.svg Milan File:Flag of Genoa.svg Genoa | File:Bandera de Nápoles - Trastámara.svg Kingdom of Naples | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Kingdom of France Louis d'Orleans | File:Bandera de Nápoles - Trastámara.svg Giulio Orsini (POW) | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
3,000 Swiss mercenaries Genoese-Milanese infantry | 4,000 Neapolitan | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Giulio Orsini(Captured) Fregosino Campofregoso(Captured) |
The Battle of Rapallo, was fought between Swiss mercenaries on French pay and their Genoese-Milanese allies led by Louis d'Orleans against Neapolitan forces led by Giulio Orsini on 5 September 1494 near Rapallo.[2] Rapallo was occupied by 4,000 Neapolitan troops on 3 September 1494 with Giulio Orsini, Obietto Fieschi, and Fregosino Campofregoso in command, their plan being to force a rebellion in Genoa. Later the Neapolitan fleet was forced away by bad weather.[2] On 5 September,[3] Louis d'Orleans landed with 1,000 Swiss mercenary infantry which was later reinforced overland by 2,000 more Swiss mercenaries and a contingent of Genoese-Milanese infantry.[2] A skirmish broke out between the Swiss mercenaries and Neapolitan forces, though the terrain did not allow for the Swiss to form up their pike squares.[2] However, the battle was mainly fought between the Genoese-Milanese and Neapolitan infantry.[2] Following concentrated artillery fire from the French fleet, the Neapolitans were routed.[2] The Swiss massacred Neapolitans trying to surrender,[3] although Orsini and Campofregoso were captured in the retreat.[2] After the battle the Swiss mercenaries killed the enemy wounded and sacked the town of Rapallo.[2] Though a small battle, it was seen as a significant victory which halted Neapolitan attempts to incite a rebellion in Genoa against the French.[2]
References
- ↑ Leathes 1903, p. 112.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Mallett & Shaw 2012, p. 19.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Nicolle 2004, p. 89.
Sources
- Leathes, Stanley (1903). "Italy and Her Invaders". In Acton, Baron John Emerich Edward Dalberg (ed.). The Cambridge Modern History. Vol. 1. The Macmillan Company.
- Mallett, Michael; Shaw, Christine (2012). The Italian Wars. Pearson Educational Limited.
- Nicolle, David (2004). Fornovo 1495: France's Bloody Fighting Retreat. Osprey.
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- 1494 in Europe
- 15th century in the Kingdom of Naples
- Conflicts in 1494
- Battles involving France
- Battles involving the Kingdom of Naples
- Battles of the Italian Wars
- Military history of Liguria
- Rapallo
- Italian War of 1494–1495