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"The world bleeds red as I struggle to open my eyes. Steel bites steel in the distance, chased by labored shouts. I have fallen in battle."
―Bartolomeo d'Alviano.[src]

The Battle of Agnadello was a military clash between the French forces of King Louis XII, and the Venetian army, which took place in 1509 in the city and fields of Agnadello. It's also one of the most significant battles of the War of the League of Cambrai and one of the major battles of the Italian Wars.

The battle dealt a devastating blow to the Venetian army. Despite this, Bartolomeo d'Alviano, one of the captains of the Venetian army in the battle, managed to rally his men for a final retaliation.

Venetian army reassembled[]

"Fallen condottieri float in the muck around me. Most have been slain or scattered by the French cavalry."
―Bartolomeo d'Alviano.[src]

Waking up in the aftermath of an encounter with three detachments, including the French cavalry, Bartolomeo struggled to tend to his injuries before the blood loss became too severe. Dressing his wounds with the tattered remnants of an enemy flag and other various pieces of cloth, he managed to stem the bleeding long enough to recover.[1]

Hungry for revenge, he rallied the surviving members of the army and found them equally eager for blood. Bartolomeo and his men looted the fallen fighters for weapons, with Bartolomeo having lost his own blade, Bianca, in the mud.[1]

Attacking the French patrols[]

"The three detachments who broke us still patrol the outskirts of Agnadello. We were routed and wounded. They have dismissed us."
―Bartolomeo d'Alviano.[src]

Having gathered enough weaponry, Bartolomeo led his men to charge against the French's northern patrol, one of those that had felled them earlier. The patrol was taken by surprise, and, by the end of the fierce battle, it was completely annihilated. Though they had also lost a few men, the Venetian detachment swiftly gathered more of their enemy's equipment and moved on.[1]

The Ruse

Bartolomeo "surrendering" to the French

Their next target was the French cavalry western patrol, which they subdued using a ruse. A handful of the Venetian army led by Bartolomeo, presented themselves in the open and pretended to surrender, while the rest of the soldiers hid in the vineyards to ambush the deceived enemies.[1]

Using the stolen horses and looted weaponry, Bartolomeo and the army attacked the last of the patrols, routing them successfully and finally gaining the upper hand. Assured that the Agnadello garrison had not heard any of the battles due to the storm, Bartolomeo's men hurried to reach the village.[1]

Battle for the village[]

"We have done our best to prepare, but the storm is upon us! Louis XII's armies have returned."
―Bartolomeo d'Alviano.[src]
PL Memory VyingForTheVillage

The besieged town of Agnadello

Returning with his men, Bartolomeo found the town of Agnadello mostly destroyed, and its inhabitants in shock. Bartolomeo led his soldiers in putting out the fires of a still-burning section of the city, an action which earned the trust of many of the locals.[1]

Soon, the citizens began to enlist themselves for battle, and offered their supplies and services to Bartolomeo's army. Blacksmiths provided new, sturdier weaponry, and villagers gathered food and other materials as supplies. At last, Bartolomeo and his men charged forward to fight the French army head-on.[1]

However, they were ultimately unable to resist the might of the French army, and were sorely defeated. The village was completely overrun, and Bartolomeo himself was captured, shackled personally by the leader of the French assault.

Aftermath[]

After being defeated, Bartolomeo was captured and shackled by the French army.[1] The battle marked the end of Venetian expansion in Italy and elsewhere.[2] The Shroud of Eden hiddden in Agnadello was recovered by his cousin, Niccolò di Pitigliano. Ezio Auditore da Firenze visited Bartolomeo a year later in Ostia, requesting his assistance in traveling to Bari in his search for Altaïr's library.[1]

Appearances[]

References[]

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