Conflict:

The Battle of Ravenna was fought during the War of the League of Cambrai.

Date:

French forces were victorious on April 11, 1512.

Armies & Commanders:

French

• Gaston de Foix
• approx. 23,000 men

Holy League (Spain & Papal States)

• Ramón de Cardona
• approx. 16,000 men

Battle Summary:

Moving through Romagna and the Veneto in early 1512, French forces under Gaston de Foix, Duc of Nemours captured several cities in an attempt to subdue northern Italy.


Investing Ravenna in late March, Nemours sought to bring the army of the Holy League to battle before the majority of his troops were withdrawn to defend France against an anticipated English invasion by Henry VIII. Supported by Alfonso I d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, Nemours wished to quickly end the siege so that the campaign could continue.

To the south, Pope Julius II, alarmed by Nemours' success and concerned about losing all of Romagna, ordered the League's largely Spanish army, led by Ramón de Cardona, to march north to relieve Ravenna. Moving out, Cardona's men reached Forli on April 9, and went into camp at Molinaccio, a mile south of the French position, on the 10th. Though the Spanish had fortified their camp, Nemours believed that the opportunity that he had been seeking had finally arrived. Ordering his men to prepare for battle, the crossed the Ronco River and moved into position to attack on April 11.

Forming his troops in a large arc to the east of the Spanish camp, Nemours placed his right flank along the Ronco and anchored it with his heavy cavalry.

Advancing to within two hundred paces of Cardona's position, the French began a prolonged artillery duel. While the Spanish infantry was largely safe in their entrenchments, the Papal cavalry, under Fabrizio Colonna, began to take casualties. The Spanish fire was directed at a mass of Gascon and landsknecht infantry in the French center.

To support Nemour's bombardment, the Duke of Ferarra moved his guns to the French left and began a flanking fire on the Spanish light cavalry. On the right, Yves d'Alègre moved two of the French heavy guns back across the river and assumed a position from which they could fire into the Spanish rear. Inflicting heavy casualties on Colonna's horsemen, the French guns forced Cardona to take action. He issues orders for Colonna to attack to French cavalry near the river. Riding out, Colonna was soon supported by the bulk of the League cavalry.

As the two bodies of cavalry collided, a general melee ensued. Colonna attempted to flank the French, but was engaged and repulsed by Jacques de la Palice. His force badly beaten, Colonna was compelled to retire and his cavalry fell back towards Forli. While the cavalry battle raged, Pedro Navarro, commanding the Spanish infantry elected to remain in the protective enclosure of the camp. As Nemours advanced his infantry, Navarro split his force in two and attacked. Sending one force along the river, Navarro's troops managed to break the Gascon lines.

Pushing forward, the Spanish achieved considerable success until French cavalry arrived to contain their attack. Navarro was soon aided by the return of Colonna with some of the cavalry. Attacking the landsknecht's rear, the French line began to waver as the Spanish pressured them from two sides. The situation was rescued by the arrival of the French cavalry which nearly surrounded the Spanish and launched an assault of their own. Unable to beat off the French cavalry, the Spanish infantry broke and began fleeing the field. In this final phase of the battle Nemours was killed by retreating Spanish infantry.

Aftermath:

The Battle of Ravenna cost the French around 3,000-4,500 killed and around 4,500 wounded. Holy League casualties were approximately 9,000 killed with an unknown number of wounded. Though a victory, the loss of Nemours was a blow to the French. A gifted commander, he was replaced by the less aggressive Jacques de la Palice. Finishing the siege, the French captured Ravenna and sacked the city. While Nemours had conquered much of northern Italy, the French were forced to abandon it by August, as their troops were needed to repel the English.

Selected Sources

• Arnold, Thomas F. The Renaissance at War. Smithsonian History of Warfare, edited by John Keegan. New York: Smithsonian Books / Collins, 2006.
• Black, Jeremy. "Dynasty Forged by Fire." MHQ: The Quarterly Journal of Military History 18, no. 3 (Spring 2006): 34–43.