Battle of Cortenuova
Frederick II leads the captured Carroccio to Cremona,
(illustration in a manuscript from the 14th century)
| date | 27 / 28. November 1237 |
|---|---|
| place | at Cortenuova |
| output | Victory of the Ghibellines |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
| Commander | |
| Troop strength | |
| about 10,000 men | up to 14,500 men |
| losses | |
|
unknown |
unknown |
In the battle of Cortenuova on 27./28. November 1237, the troops of the Roman-German Emperor Friedrich II defeated the armed forces of the Lombard League .
prehistory
The federation of Lombard cities, consisting of anti-imperial northern Italian cities (which were part of the empire), had already opposed the emperors Friedrich I and Heinrich VI. retains its relative independence. In 1226, the Lombard cities also opposed Emperor Frederick II by closing passports and roads when the Emperor marched with a large army on a crusade . Tensions continued and finally Frederick II called on the cities of the Lombard League (which, however, was not a seamless continuation of the 1st League from the time of Barbarossa) to dissolve their alliance, recognize his rights and provide troops for the Holy Land. When the Lombards refused, the emperor declared the imperial war against them in 1236.
The Lombard cities raised an army with which they initially acted defensively. They maneuvered between the rivers and mountains to prevent the imperial army from besieging or even taking cities, but did not engage in any battle. This hesitant strategy worked in the first year of the war. In the following year, in 1237, the city of Mantua fell over to the emperor's side. He gathered his army near this city in September. This included reinforcements from the German Reich (2,000 knights) and allegedly 7,000 Saracen archers from Apulia. From there he moved north with the aim of taking Brescia . In contrast, the Lombard armed forces took up positions at Maniero, covered by rivers, so that Frederick II had no choice but to take a position vis-à-vis the Lombards and wait almost until the end of the year. It came to fruitless negotiations, in which Pope Gregory IX. urged an understanding.
course
In November 1237 Frederick II released the contingents of the cities loyal to the empire and moved with his army to the southwest over the Oglio . For the Lombards it seemed as if the campaign had ended and the emperor was on his way to his winter quarters near Cremona . That is why they broke off their entrenched position and marched west towards their hometowns. In fact, Frederick II had immediately moved north across the river to intercept the Lombard army and finally put it to battle.
On the morning of November 27, the imperial army attacked the Lombards camp south of Cortenuova (southeast of Bergamo ). The vanguard of the imperial troops surprised the Lombards and tied the federal troops until the main army arrived. The knights only pushed the opposing riders off their horses and left it to the following foot soldiers to overpower the opponents and take them prisoner. Such close cooperation between mounted and foot soldiers was rather unusual in the Middle Ages, but it turned out to be effective. Even in this first phase of the struggle, the Lombard troops suffered major losses and fled in panic. The remaining Lombard troops first gathered around the flag car ( carroccio ) or holed up in Cortenuova. There they successfully resisted the imperial troops. According to some sources, the Saracen archers were now used, but without being able to overcome the Lombards. Emperor Friedrich II ordered his fighters to rest in full armor in order to continue the battle the following morning. But the Lombards withdrew during the night, and many of them perished again while fleeing. In the morning the imperial troops occupied the Lombard camp.
The strength of both armies can only be estimated, since medieval chroniclers either give no information or tend to exaggerate strongly (similar to ancient historians). The imperial confidante Petrus de Vinea names 10,000 fighters for the imperial army at the beginning of the battle, which probably includes all combatants and would mean that the imperial army was even stronger at the beginning of the campaign. In a treaty from 1231, the Lombard city federation stipulated a total of 10,000 foot soldiers, 3,000 knights and 1,500 archers for the common army. However, it is questionable to what extent this target was still given at the end of the campaign in November.
consequences
During their panicked escape, the Milanese troops even left their flag wagon behind, which was then pulled through the streets of Cremona, the old rival of Milan (who was also allied with the emperor), on the orders of the emperor. The spectacle made a tremendous impression because the wagon was pulled by an elephant ; Friedrich's most distinguished prisoner, Petrus Tiepolo, son of the Doge of Venice and at the same time Podestà of Milan , was also on the wagon .
Frederick II saw himself at the height of his position of power, especially since the League soon entered into negotiations with the emperor; but this ultimately failed because the emperor rejected Milan's offer of peace. Friedrich also had the flag car set up symbolically on the Roman Capitol and at the same time proclaimed his victory in an accompanying missive. A large marble architect resting on five columns carried three distiches : the emperor triumphed over his enemies, the dignity of the glorious city of Rome was extolled, just as the emperor expressed his love for the eternal city; even cardinals took part in the dedication ceremony.
Pope Gregory IX must do this. deeply annoyed because the emperor was thereby ignoring the papal sovereignty over Rome (although various emperors had previously insisted on Rome being part of the empire). Friedrich had also established contacts with urban Roman circles, possibly even planning the long-term integration of the city into the empire and thus a connection to the ancient Roman Empire. However, the successes were not to last - the siege of Brescia failed, and on March 20, 1239, Gregory IX. a bull with which the emperor was excommunicated. Nevertheless, the victory of Cortenuova impressively demonstrates the potential power that Frederick II could possibly have in Italy.
literature
- Hans Delbrück : History of the Art of War . Vol. 3, 2nd edition, Berlin 1923 (several ND), pp. 367-369.
- Karl Hadank: The Battle of Cortenuova on November 27, 1237 . Diss. Berlin 1905.
- Klaus J. Heinisch (Ed.): Kaiser Friedrich II in letters and reports of his time . Scientific Book Society , Darmstadt 1968, p. 385ff. (translated extracts from sources).
- Wolfgang Stürner : Friedrich II . Vol. 2. Scientific Book Society, Darmstadt 2000, pp. 334–341.
Remarks
- ↑ The Lombards suffered heavy losses in the fighting, allegedly 10,000 men, see Regesta Imperii V 1.1, No. 2289e .
- ↑ The chronicler Matthäus Paris estimated the strength of the imperial army at 100,000, that of the Lombards at 60,000 men ( MGH SS XXVIII, p. 139f.). Both statements are certainly exaggerated.
- ↑ Delbrück: History of the Art of War , Vol. 3, p. 368.
- ↑ Delbrück: History of the Art of War , Vol. 3, P. 368f.
- ↑ Stürner: Friedrich II. , Vol. 2, p. 340.
- ↑ See Stürner: Friedrich II. , Vol. 2, pp. 340f.