Battle of Marignano

The Battle of Marignano was the last major engagement of the War of the League of Cambrai and took place on 13–14 September 1515. It took place near the town now called Melegnano, 16 km southeast of Milan. It involved the French army led by Francis I, newly crowned King of France, against the Old Swiss Confederacy.

Battle of Marignano
Part of the War of the League of Cambrai
Francis at Marignan.jpg
Francis I Orders His Troops to Stop Pursuing the Swiss, a Romantic 19th century work by Alexandre-Évariste Fragonard (Galerie des Batailles, Palace of Versailles)
Date13–14 September 1515
Location
Near Melegnano, southeast of Milan, present-day Italy
Result

Franco-Venetian victory

  • Swiss cantons signed the Treaty of Fribourg establishing the "Perpetual Peace"
Territorial
changes
France occupies Milan
Belligerents
 France
Republic of Venice Venice
Template:Country data Old Swiss Confederacy Old Swiss Confederacy
Flag of the Duchy of Milan (1450).svg Milan
Commanders and leaders
Early modern France Francis I
Early modern France Gian Giacomo Trivulzio
Republic of Venice Bartolomeo d'Alviano
Early modern France Louis de la Trémoille
Early modern France Charles III, Duke of Bourbon
Template:Country data Old Swiss Confederacy Marx Röist
Flag of the Duchy of Milan (1450).svg Maximilian Sforza[1]
Template:Country data Old Swiss Confederacy Cardinal Mattheus Schiner
Strength
  • French: 30,000 men and 72 guns [2]
  • Venetian reinforcements: 10,000 men (very few engaged)[3]

22,200 men

  • 22,000 infantry
  • 200 cavalry
Casualties and losses
5,000 dead[4]
Unknown wounded
10,000 dead[5]
Unknown wounded

Battle Of Marignano Media

References

  1. Sforza was present at the battle, and, being the nominal employer of the Swiss, may be considered their leader. It is extremely doubtful, however, that he exercised any actual command.
  2. Tucker, Spencer C. (2009). A Global Chronology of Conflict: From the Ancient World to the Modern Middle East. Vol. II. Santa Bárbara: ABC-CLIO. p.484
  3. Nolan, Cathal J. (2006). The Age of Wars of Religion, 1000-1650: An Encyclopedia of Global Warfare and Civilization. p.575; Nolan, Cathal J. (2017). The Allure of Battle: A History of How Wars Have Been Won and Lost. Oxford University Press. p.68
  4. Nolan (2006), p.575; Tucker (2009), p.484
  5. Nolan (2006): p.575