Battle of Fossalta
Battle of Fossalta | |||||||
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Part of Guelphs and Ghibellines | |||||||
Battle of Fossalta and king Enzio captured | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Ghibellines: Holy Roman Empire Cremona and Modena |
Guelphs: Bologna Lombard League | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Enzio of Sardinia Buoso da Dovara |
Filippo Ugoni Ottaviano degli Ubaldini Antonio Lambertacci | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
15,000[1] | 8,800[1] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Heavy[2] Also king Enzio and 400 knights captured [3] | Heavy[2] |
The Battle of Fossalta was a battle of the
Prelude
In the spring of 1249, a
The
Enzio organised a massive army of 15,000 men, composed of
Battle
Both armies faced each other for days, yet none dared to attack the other. On 26 May 1249, Enzio ordered his troops to assume a formation: he split his army into three corps and positioned them into two lines. Ugoni divided his forces into four corps on a broad line.[1] Once the 2,000 additional troops from Bologna had arrived, Ugoni charged for battle.
At dawn, the Guelph army furiously attacked Enzio. After a long struggle the
Aftermath
The Bolognese had taken a lot of German and Cremonese prisoners at Fossalta; among these was Enzio. The victorious Bolognese were greeted by a fanatical crowd upon their return to Bologna. Enzio, in his full armour and decorated helmet, was put in golden chains and paraded around Bologna on a horse.[4] He would spend his whole life in the Bolognese palace thenceforth named after him, the Palazzo Re Enzo.
The battle had no great meaning and did not change or shape the contemporary politics or map of Italy (unlike the Siege of Brescia or the Battle of Parma). But the defeat and the imprisonment of his son Enzio was a heavy blow for Emperor Frederick II. Frederick demanded the release of Enzio, but the Bolognese stood firm with their policy.[7]
References
- Lexikon des Mittelalters: Band III
- Decker-Hauff Hansmartin: Band III
- Kantorowicz, Ernst. Kaiser Friedrich der Zweite.
- Bedürftig, Friedemann. Taschenlexikon Staufer.
Notes
- ^ a b c d FEDERICO II – BIOGRAFIA E FATTI DAL 1216 al 1237
- ^ a b John William Warre Tyndale: p. 90-91 "The Island of Sardinia Vol.II"
- ^ Kantorowicz Ernst: p. 614-621 "Kaiser Friedrich der Zweite"
- ^ a b Kantorowicz Ernst: p. 614-621
- ^ Lexikon des Mittelalters: Band III, Seite 2030
- ^ Kantorowicz Ernst: Seite 614–621
- ^ Lexikon des Mittelalters: Band III, Seite 2030