Battle of Parma

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This article is about the 1248 Battle of Parma. For the battle of 1734, see Battle of San Pietro.
Battle of Parma
Part of
Emilia, present-day Italy
Result Lombard League victory [3]
Belligerents Holy Roman Empire Lombard LeagueCommanders and leaders Frederick II
Taddeo da Suessa †
Gregorio da Montelongo
Strength 5,600 [4][5]Casualties and losses 1,500 killed [6]
3,000 captured [6]
camp, crown, banner, scepter and seal looted [6] unknown

The Battle of Parma was fought on 18 February 1248 between the forces of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and the Lombard League. The Guelphs attacked the Imperial camp when Frederick II was away. The Imperial forces were defeated[7] and much of Frederick's treasure was lost.

Background

The free commune of Parma had been a longtime supporter of the Ghibelline (pro-imperial) party. However, it was also considered an important stronghold to take by the Guelphs (pro-papal), due to its flourishing economy and its position across the Via Francigena.[8][9]

On 25 June 1243

Innocent IV, who had several friends in the city and had held several positions in the local diocese, was elected as pope. He thus started a plan to bring Parma to the Guelph side, by replacing the current bishop with Alberto Sanvitale, who was more loyal to him, and order the local Franciscans to convince the population to change side.[10] The already strained relationship between Emperor Frederick II and the pope worsened: the situation was further aggravated by the coup by which the city fell in the hands of a Guelph group, including Ugo Sanvitale (the brother of the new bishop of Parma) and Bernardo di Rolando Rossi (the pope's brother-in-law and a former collaborator of Frederick).[8]

The emperor knew of the rebellion when he was at

Gregory IX
.

Battle

Now that the papal participation in the plot against him had become clear, Frederick wrote to the noblemen to inform them of the pope's vile behavior, and marched with an army to Lyon in 1247. Once he had arrived in

Enzio of Sardinia, Frederick's son, was besieging Quinzano.[9] Frederick immediately diverted his troops to Emilia, and at the same time he called for reinforcements from friendly lords and communes. The imperial army was also joined by Enzio, who raised the siege of Quinzano, and by a Cremonese contingent led by Ezzelino III da Romano, as well as by soldiers from Padua, Verona, and Vicenza
.

The pope did his best to send help to Parma from cities faithful to him, such as Milan, Piacenza, Mantua, and Ferrara. Gregorio di Montelongo was able to reach the city, organizing its defense with Bernardo Rossi and Gilberto da Gente.

Perhaps due to a shortage of siege weapons, Frederick decided to take the city by starvation. The Guelphs were however determined to resist thanks to the papal help, and the siege dragged on for eight months. Frederick ordered the construction of an entrenched camp near

Borgo San Donnino, and then moved to Cremona.[8]

Aftermath

The defeat at Parma was a decisive defeat for Frederick, who had to abandon forever any dream to conquer northern Italy. The Second

Marquisate of Montferrat and the Republic of Genoa remained hostile to him. Ezzelino III, despite remaining in the Ghibelline side, ousted the imperial governor from Monselice
.

According to anti-imperial Franciscan chronicler Salimbene di Adam, "Parma fuit causa totius ruine" ("Parma was the cause of the whole ruin").[9]

Since then, the town's motto has been "Hostis turbetur quia Parmam Virgo tuetur" ("May the enemy be scattered, because the Holy Virgin protects Parma").

Notes

  1. ^ Meyers Konversations-Lexikon, S. 739, Band 12, 1885,
  2. ^ The Emperor Frederick II and the Sicilian Church ; H. J. Pybus / Cambridge Historical Journal, Vol. 3, No. 2 (1930), pp. 134–163
  3. ^ The Papacy, An Encyclopedia Vol. II  ; by Philippe Levillain – John W. O'Malley
  4. ^ Saracen Archers in Southern Italy; by Giovanni Amatuccio / De Re Militari 2001
  5. ^ The Mirror of Language: A Study in the Medieval Theory of Knowledge; by Marcia L. Colish / Published by U of Nebraska Press, 1983
  6. ^ a b c Geschichte des deutschen Volkes Band2. Jacob Venedey Berlin. 1855. p. 602.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. ^ The New Cambridge Medieval History V ; by Rosamond McKitterick, Christopher Allmand, David Abulafia, Paul Fouracre, Timothy Reuter, David Luscombe, Michael Jones, Jonathan Riley-Smith / Cambridge University Press, 1995
  8. ^ a b c Carlo, Fornari. "La battaglia di Parma". Stupor Mundi. Archived from the original on 27 May 2011. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
  9. ^
    Enciclopedia Italiana
    . Retrieved 24 July 2011.
  10. ^ a b "L'assedio di Parma". Medioevo. November 2003.

Sources

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