Battle of Fornovo

Battle of Fornovo
Part of the First Italian War

Bataille de Fornoue, 6 juillet 1495 (oil on canvas by Éloi Firmin Féron, 1837) depicts king Charles VIII on the left and Bayard on the right.
Date6 July 1495
Location
Fornovo, Emilia, Italy
44°41′N 10°06′E / 44.683°N 10.100°E / 44.683; 10.100
Result French victory[1]
Belligerents
France League of Venice:
Republic of Venice
Duchy of Milan
Margraviate of Mantua
Commanders and leaders
King Charles VIII Francesco Gonzaga, Marquess of Mantua[2]
Units involved
Stradioti
Strength
10,000–11,000 men[3][4][a] 20,000–21,500 men[2][3][5]
Casualties and losses
  • 3,350–4,000 killed[5][3][6]
  • Unknown wounded
    • Fornovo di Taro is located in Italy
    Fornovo di Taro
    Fornovo di Taro
    class=notpageimage|
    Fornovo di Taro, now a comune (municipality) in the province of Parma

    The Battle of Fornovo took place 30 km (19 miles) southwest of the city of Parma on 6 July 1495. It was fought as King Charles VIII of France left Naples upon hearing the news of the grand coalition assembled against him. Despite the numerical advantage of their opponents, the French won the engagement and Charles was able to march his army out of Italy. It was nonetheless devoid of any strategic result as all of their conquests in the Italian Peninsula were abandoned. Fornovo was the first major pitched battle of the Italian Wars.

    1. ^ Mallett & Hale 1984, p. 56.
    2. ^ a b c Mallett & Shaw 2012, p. 31.
    3. ^ a b c d e Tucker 2010, p. 361.
    4. ^ Nolan 2006, p. 303.
    5. ^ a b c d Dupuy 1993, p. 462.
    6. ^ a b Nolan 2006, p. 304.


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