Fornovo, the first battle of the Italian wars, has been called the last battle of the condottire, that bloodless Italian art of military maneuver used to defeat an enemy mercenary force. The French at a large disadvantage, strung out in march column in a marsh, beat the Italian force that trapped them. Background The war was based King Charles VIII's desire to acquire his "rightful inheritance," the Kingdom of Naples, although that once he had the fief, it would be isolated from France by several hundred miles. Charles was perhaps mentally unbalanced, one of his grandiose schemes after the capture of Naples. was the invasion of Anatolia, with a combined Franco-Italiot army to liberate Constantinople from the Turks. Nevertheless, in 1494, France invaded Italy. The French army was now organized on the Ordinance system. It was quite sophisticated compared to the old feudal levy of the earlier One Hundred Years War. To the semi-regulars of the Ordinance, the French had added the best artillery park in Europe. Trained gunners manned 36 superb bronze pieces, which had the mobility to keep up with the French Army. Finally, keeping with sensibilities of the times, that is in the use of mercenary solders, Charles had the best infantry money could buy. Swiss. With this large army -- 25.000 men strong -- Charles marched to Naples. While the Italian princes were impressed by the size and discipline of the Gallic force, they prudently stayed holed up their castles. Charles, with Venice neutral, the Duchy of Milan allied, the Papal states cowed, easily moved through Italy to Naples. His artillery efficiently toppled obsolete fortifications. The Neapolitan King, unpopular with his nobility who were mostly pro-French to begin with, soon abdicated. Charles left half his army as a garrison, and retraced his steps toward home. The Italian city states, now seeing that Charles' glittering army was half its size, decided to do something about the invader. The Milanese broke their association, joined with Venice, mobilized their seasoned condottieri, and blocked the French way to the Apennines' passes. The Italian host of 15,000 was commanded by the Marquis of Mantua. A respected leader, he devised a plan to defeat the French that was brilliant but intricate. He would wait until the French entered the Taro river valley, block their advance, and hit them in column of march with three battles. (combined units of cavalry and infantry) leaving three other smaller battles to pursue the remnants. It was a sophisticated plan -- one that may have worked against other Italians but not against the hard charging French. The Battle The French were fortunate that though the King was inexperienced in war. His adviser Gie, Marshal of the Kingdom, was not. Understanding that they would have to fight their way out of Italy, Gie placed his best troops in the front. The Swiss were at the head of the column, with the pick of the French nobility armored cavalry which he commanded personally. (These were not with the King in the center as the Italians believed.) In the center was the King facing the Marquis, and a gaggle of small city state allies, and the rear division under Constable of the Kingdom, Foix, guarded the baggage train. The battle started well. The blocking force of 600 Stradiots forced the Swiss vanguard to deplov, but then feeling their job was done rode off to raid the French Baggage train. Things deteriorated from that point on for the Italians. The Swiss quickly reformed, faster than the Marquis anticipated, and backing the Gendarmes, charged the Milanese. The lighter cavalry supporting the gendarmes, crossed the marshes quickly, and hit the heavier Italian cavalry while they were almost at a halt. They broke almost at once. The poor infantry watched as their only useful force routed past them, then were cut to pieces by the Swiss who were following closely behind. The Swiss with this job done, now stormed the allied batteries behind the routed Milanese and took them. In the center, the same thing happened. The heavier condottire cavalry bogged down in the marsh, countercharged by the King, who did not lack personal courage. They were forced back on their infantry who broke. The King reformed his cavalry, lunged at the hapless mass one more time, and devastated it, ". . . the French servants slaving the helpless knights as they lay in the bog..." The third division turned to the right, facing the Venetians who being mostly mercenaries, were not peerless fighters. and could recognize this struggle as a losing proposition. So when they were attacked across the marsh, they swiftly fled. The third division of French then reorganized and recrossing the marsh, drove off the pillaging stradiots. saving the train. The main battle was over. All that was left was the mopping up. After a 1/4 hour, a larger Italian army had been driven off...with high losses, while the weaker French had little casualties. What about the reserve? Here the Italians were unlucky. The Marquis's uncle in charge of the reserve was felled by a crossbow bolt in the opening phase of the struggle and a successor was never nominated. It probably would not have made much difference. The Marquis miscalculated the impedance the marsh would have upon armored cavalry and on the fighting spirit of the French. Upon such misconceptions defeats are often based. The Terrain The Taro river valley marsh is 500 yards across. SEE MAP. Armored cavalry in the marsh are slowed to half speed and are disorganized, while French cavalry moves 3/4 speed and are not disorganized. The Taro river can not be forded. French OOB 1st Division: Marshal of the Kingdom Gie 3000 HI halbard (Swiss) 100 LI X-bow 600 HC Lance and sword (gendarmes) 36 Medium artillery 2nd Division King Charles VIII 1200 HI Pike 1200 LI X-how 600 HC Lance and sword (gendarmes) 3rd Division Constable Foix 600 HI Pike 1800 LI X-bow 600 HC Lance and sword (gendarmes) Italians 1st Battle (MILAN) Count Caiazzo 600 HC Lance and sword (knights) 400 MC Lance and sword (men-at-arms) 600 HI Spear. 600 LI X-bow Reserve Duc of Bentivoglio. 200 HC Lance and sword (knights) 200 MC Lance and sword (men -at-arms) Artillery: 45 guns assorted calibers. 2nd Battle (allies) Marquis de Mantua, Gonzaga 600 HC Lance and sword (knights) 400 MC Lance and sword (men-at-arms) 1200 LI X-bow Reserve Antony of Urbino 200 HC Lance and sword (knights) 200 MC Lance and sword (men-at-arms) 200 HI Spear 3rd Battle (VENICE) 600 HC Lance and sword (knights) 400 MC Lance and sword (men-at-arms) 600 HI Spear. 1200 LI X-bow Reserve 200 HC Lance and sword (knights) 200 MC Lance and sword (men-at-arms) 400 LI X-Bow Camp Guards 200 MC Lance and sword (men-at-arms) 600 HI Pike (German Metes.) Blocking force 600 LC Lance. Javelin and sword. (Stradiots) Armati Breakdown See Armati troop lists for breakdown French CR: H:3 L:3 BP:5 Init: 5 1st.Div: *1 KN 6[2]0 +3 *1 MA 5(1]0 +2 *4 (Swiss) PH 8[4]2 +1 1 SI 2[1]1 +2 (x-bows) 2 ART Med. 2nd. Div (King) *1 KN 6[2]0 +3 *1 MA 5(1]0 +2 2 FT 5[1]1 +1 3 SI 2[1]1 +2 (x-bows) 3rd. Div *1 KN 6[2]0 +3 *1 MA 5(1]0 +2 1 FT 5[1]1 +1 5 SI 2[1]1 +2 (x-bows) Italians CR: H:3 L:3 BP:4 Init. 4 Milanese Battle *1 KN 6[2]0 +3 *1 MA 5(1]0 +2 1 FT 5[1]1 +1 1 SI 2[1]1 +2 (x-bows) Reserve: *1 MA 5(1]0 +2 Artillery: 2 MED, 2 LIGHT Allied Battle *1 KN 6[2]0 +3 *1 MA 5(1]0 +2 4 SI 2[1]1 +2 (x-bows) [Gonzaga] Reserve *1 MA 5(1]0 +2 1 FT 5[1]1 +1 Venetian Battle *1 KN 6[2]0 +3 *1 MA 5(1]0 +2 1 FT 5[1]1 +1 4 SI 2[1]1 +2 (x-bows) Reserve *1 MA 5(1]0 +2 2 FT 5[1]1 +1 1 SI 2[1]1 +2 (x-bows) Block force *2 LC 1[0]0 +1 Jav (Siradiot;) Camp Guard** *1 MA 5(1]0 +2 1 FT 5[1]1 +1 * indicates BP if unit is lost. ** Rated lower because of the number of troop, in unit Reserves and guards should be uncontrolled divions per the actual battle. If wished represent all three divisions and battle commanders with a figure. Every commander killed counts as 1 BP. If the King is killed, he counts as 3 BPs. If the Italian camp is taken, it count, as 2 BPs. 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