Battle of Alessandria

The Battle of Alessandria or Battle of Castelazzo was a battle during the Florentine-Milanese Wars which was fought at Alessandria, Piedmont, Italy on 25 July 1391 between the mercenary army of Gian Galeazzo Visconti of Milan and that of the Jean III of Armagnac. It ended in victory for Milan.[1]

Battle of Alessandria
Part of Florentine-Milanese Wars
Date 25 July 1391 Location Alessandria, Piedmont, Italy 44°55′N 08°37′E Result Milanese victory
Belligerents
Milan Gian Galeazzo Visconti Lord of Milan	Florence French mercenary army in Florentine pay
Commanders and leaders
Jacopo dal Verme	Jean III of Armagnac †
Strength
6,000	1,500
Casualties and losses
	heavy

Background

Gian Galeazzo Visconti of Milan, later the Duke of Milan, had ambitions to control the whole of northern Italy, but the city of Florence stood up against him and formed a defensive League which included Francis Novello da Carrara, Stephen III of Bavaria, and Jean III of Armagnac. In March 1390, they hired the English mercenary, John Hawkwood, and his private army to defend the town and requested help from Jean III.

Hawkwood prepared defensive earthworks and repulsed an attack by a Milanese army led by General Jacopo dal Verme. He then dug in at Pandino, some 10 miles south-east of Milan, in June 1391 to await the arrival of Jean III, who was crossing the Alps from France with his army. However, after being continually harassed by Dal Verme's troops, Hawkwood's men struck camp and retreated from the district.

Battle of Alessandria

After Jean III's force had arrived in Italy it was attacked on 25 July 1391 by the Milanese army at Alessandria and decisively beaten. Jean III himself was killed.

Aftermath

As a result of the battle Gian Galeazzo Visconti effectively gained control of northern Italy. He received the title of Duke of Milan in 1395 from Wenceslaus, King of the Romans.

References

1. Jaques, Tony. Dictionary of Battles and Sieges: A-E.

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rigg, James (1891). "Hawkwood, John de". In Stephen, Leslie; Lee, Sidney (eds.). Dictionary of National Biography. 25. London: Smith, Elder & Co. p. 236.