Event Italian War of 1499-1504

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Was the second of the so-called Italian Wars. The first phase of the war was fought for control of the Duchy of Milan by an alliance of Louis XII of France and the Republic of Venice against Ludovico Sforza, the second between Louis of France and Ferdinand II of Aragon for possession of the Kingdom of Naples.

Chronology

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1. French conquest of Naples

Was a military campaign by French king Charles VIII against the Kingdom of Naples.

  • January 1495: Charles VIII of France took Civitavecchia.
  • November 1494: Charles VIII of France laid siege to the fortress of Sarzanello, asking that he be allowed way for Florence. Piero, lord of Florence, went to meet the king to negotiate, but had to grant him the fortresses of Sarzanello, Sarzana and Pietrasanta, the cities of Pisa and Livorno as support ports for French ships, and the free passage on the territory of Florence.
  • September 1494: Charles VIII of France laid siege to the fortress of Sarzanello.
  • November 1494: Charles VIII of France laid siege to the fortress of Sarzanello, asking that he be allowed way for Florence. Piero, lord of Florence, went to meet the king to negotiate, but had to grant him the fortresses of Sarzanello, Sarzana and Pietrasanta, the cities of Pisa and Livorno as support ports for French ships, and the free passage on the territory of Florence.
  • January 1495: Charles VIII of France took Civitavecchia.
  • August 1501: On 19 August the French entered Naples.
  • February 1495: Kingdom of Naples conquered by france.
  • February 1495: Kingdom of Naples conquered by france.
  • July 1501: On July 19, Cesare Borgia flanked by the French army besieged Capua which, after 7 days was conquered thanks to betrayal: a citizen of Capua, corrupted by Cesare, opened the city gates.
  • September 1494: Charles VIII of France laid siege to the fortress of Sarzanello.
  • January 1495: Charles VIII of France took Civitavecchia.
  • January 1495: Charles VIII of France took Civitavecchia.

2. French conquest of Milan

Was a military campaign by French king Charles VIII against the Duchy of Milan.

  • April 1500: On 10 April 1500, Ludovico Sforza, also known as Ludovico il Moro, who was the Duke of Milan, was besieged in Novara, and then handed over to the French by his own Swiss mercenaries. The Duchy of Milan fell under French control.
  • March 1500: In 1500, Ludovico Sforza regained control of Milan with the help of mercenaries.
  • March 1500: In 1500, Ludovico Sforza regained control of Milan with the help of mercenaries.
  • September 1499: Milan was conquered by King Louis XII of France, leading to the downfall of Ludovico il Moro, the Duke of Milan. Ludovico fled to Germany to seek refuge after losing control of the Duchy of Milan in 1499.
  • April 1500: On 10 April 1500, Ludovico Sforza, also known as Ludovico il Moro, who was the Duke of Milan, was besieged in Novara, and then handed over to the French by his own Swiss mercenaries. The Duchy of Milan fell under French control.
  • September 1499: Milan was conquered by King Louis XII of France, leading to the downfall of Ludovico il Moro, the Duke of Milan. Ludovico fled to Germany to seek refuge after losing control of the Duchy of Milan in 1499.

3. Borgia´s War in Romagna

Were a series of military campaigns by Cesare Borgia, the son of the Pope, in central Italy.

  • January 1502: At the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries, Senigallia fell briefly under the dominion of Cesare Borgia.
  • January 1500: Cesare Borgia besieged Caterina Sforza, who had barricaded herself in the fortress of Forlì for three weeks. On 12 January 1500 the decisive battle was bloody and fast and Caterina continued to resist fighting until she was taken prisoner.
  • November 1499: Borgia took possession without a shot being fired (November 25).
  • January 1501: Faenza conquered by the Papal States.
  • January 1504: Forlimpopoli is acquired by the Signoria of Forlì.
  • January 1503: Cesare Borgia, the son of pope Alexander VI, proclaimed himself duke of the city Città di Castello.
  • September 1503: In the period immediately following the First Italian War, Pope Alexander VI had extended, with French help, papal control far beyond central Italy, thus conquering Romagna. Cesare Borgia, as Gonfaloniere of the papal armies, had expelled the Bentivoglios from Bologna, who had governed as a fiefdom, and was moving towards the creation of a permanent state governed by the Borgias.
  • January 1501: Pesaro is conquered by Cesare Borgia.
  • January 1504: In 1503, with the death of his father Pope Alexander VI, the short-lived reign of Cesare Borgia collapsed. Immediately afterwards, the families of Romagna who had been overthrown by Cesare Borgia offered to submit to the Republic of Venice on condition that they would regain their dominions over their respective cities. The Venetian Senate accepted and the Serenissima took possession of Rimini, Faenza and other places.
  • January 1505: With the death of his father Pope Alexander VI, the short-lived reign of Cesare Borgia collapsed
  • January 1501: The Papal States conquer Rimini.
  • January 1501: Pesaro is conquered by Cesare Borgia.

4. Spanish conquest of Naples

The Kingdom of Naples was occupied by Spanish forces.

  • May 1503: Soon disagreements arose among the occupiers on the methods of partition. Ferdinand's insistence on being recognized as king of both Naples and Sicily immediately led to a war between France and Spain. Defeated at Cerignola and Garigliano by the Spaniards commanded by Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, Luigi was forced to abandon Naples and retreat to Lombardy. Naples was occupied by the Spanish on May 16, 1503.

Selected Sources

  • Frambotto,P. (1646): L'Historia di Milano , Milan (Italy), p. 936