Battle of Roccavione
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Roccavione was the last battle of the invasion of the territory of Asti
by the Angevine
troops from the Kingdom of Naples
. Charles I of Naples was defeated, and his entire invasion failed. The battle was also the end of the Astigiani participation in the wars of the Guelphs and Ghibellines
, and the end of Charles' intervention in the rest of the Italian Peninsula
.
to challenge the commune of Asti
, who defeated Thomas II of Savoy's army at the Battle of Montebruno
and subsequently moved at the conquest of Asti. Charles defeated a coalition of Ghibellines at the Battle of Cassano
in 1259, and he was determined to bring down the Astigiani forces that remained. He found an Astigiani force waiting for him at Roccavione
, in what is now the province of Cuneo
.
. He was to lead the army, and his men awaited the Neapolitan army. When the two sides met, the Neapolitans were destroyed. Charles I's campaign in Piedmont
, and Italy
in general, had failed. He would not set foot in Piedmont again after he left back for Naples.
by Charles I, there would be no more war in Asti. However, there were more troubles. Inner struggles for the control of trading and bank enterprises, soon divided the city in factions. The most prominent was that of the powerful bankers of the Solaro family, who, in 1314, gave the city to king Robert of Naples
. The free Republic of Asti ceased to exist. In 1339 the Ghibelline exiles recaptured the city, expelling the Solaro and their helpers. In 1342 however, the menace of the Solaro counter-offensive led the new rulers to submit to Luchino Visconti of Milan. Visconti built a citadel and a second ring of walls to protect the new burgs of the city. In 1345, in the Battle of Gamenario
, the Ghibelline Astigiani and John II of Montferrat defeated again the Angevine Neapolitan troops. John also ruled over Asti until 1372, but seven years later the city council submitted to Galeazzo II Visconti
's authority. The latter in turn assigned it to Louis of Valois, Duke of Orléans
.
Asti
Asti is a city and comune of about 75,000 inhabitants located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about 55 kilometres east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River...
by the Angevine
Capetian House of Anjou
The Capetian House of Anjou, also known as the House of Anjou-Sicily and House of Anjou-Naples, was a royal house and cadet branch of the direct House of Capet. Founded by Charles I of Sicily, a son of Louis VIII of France, the Capetian king first ruled the Kingdom of Sicily during the 13th century...
troops from the Kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
. Charles I of Naples was defeated, and his entire invasion failed. The battle was also the end of the Astigiani participation in the wars of the Guelphs and Ghibellines
Guelphs and Ghibellines
The Guelphs and Ghibellines were factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, respectively, in central and northern Italy. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the split between these two parties was a particularly important aspect of the internal policy of the Italian city-states...
, and the end of Charles' intervention in the rest of the Italian Peninsula
Italian Peninsula
The Italian Peninsula or Apennine Peninsula is one of the three large peninsulas of Southern Europe , spanning from the Po Valley in the north to the central Mediterranean Sea in the south. The peninsula's shape gives it the nickname Lo Stivale...
.
Background
Charles I of Naples had landed in PiedmontPiedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
to challenge the commune of Asti
Asti
Asti is a city and comune of about 75,000 inhabitants located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about 55 kilometres east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River...
, who defeated Thomas II of Savoy's army at the Battle of Montebruno
Battle of Montebruno
The Battle of Montebruno was a battle between the Guelph City of Asti and the Ghibelline County of Savoy. Thomas II of Savoy invaded the territory of Asti, but he was defeated by the Astigiani army at Montebruno in what is now the northern province of Genoa...
and subsequently moved at the conquest of Asti. Charles defeated a coalition of Ghibellines at the Battle of Cassano
Battle of Cassano (1259)
The Battle of Cassano was fought in the Autumn of 1259 between a Guelph and a Ghibelline army in northern Italy.In 1259, Ezzelino da Romano and his Ghibelline army moved into Lombardy and besieged Orci Novi. But the approach of the Guelph army forced Ezzelino to abandon the siege and cross the...
in 1259, and he was determined to bring down the Astigiani forces that remained. He found an Astigiani force waiting for him at Roccavione
Roccavione
Roccavione is a comune in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 90 km south of Turin and about 9 km southwest of Cuneo.Located in the Valle Vermenagna, it is also known as "the Alps' gate"....
, in what is now the province of Cuneo
Province of Cuneo
ayr is a province in the southwest of the Piedmont region of Italy. To the west it borders on the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur ....
.
Battle
Asti had made allies with the Marquess of Montferrat, William VIIWilliam VII, Marquess of Montferrat
William VII , called the Great , was the twelfth Margrave of Montferrat from 1253 to his death. He was also the titular King of Thessalonica.-Youth:...
. He was to lead the army, and his men awaited the Neapolitan army. When the two sides met, the Neapolitans were destroyed. Charles I's campaign in Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
, and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in general, had failed. He would not set foot in Piedmont again after he left back for Naples.
Aftermath
After the flunked invasion of PiedmontPiedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
by Charles I, there would be no more war in Asti. However, there were more troubles. Inner struggles for the control of trading and bank enterprises, soon divided the city in factions. The most prominent was that of the powerful bankers of the Solaro family, who, in 1314, gave the city to king Robert of Naples
Robert of Naples
Robert of Anjou , known as Robert the Wise was King of Naples, titular King of Jerusalem and Count of Provence and Forcalquier from 1309 to 1343, the central figure of Italian politics of his time. He was the third but eldest surviving son of King Charles II of Naples the Lame and Maria of Hungary...
. The free Republic of Asti ceased to exist. In 1339 the Ghibelline exiles recaptured the city, expelling the Solaro and their helpers. In 1342 however, the menace of the Solaro counter-offensive led the new rulers to submit to Luchino Visconti of Milan. Visconti built a citadel and a second ring of walls to protect the new burgs of the city. In 1345, in the Battle of Gamenario
Battle of Gamenario
The Battle of Gamenario, fought on 22 April 1345, was a decisive battle of the wars between the Guelphs and Ghibellines...
, the Ghibelline Astigiani and John II of Montferrat defeated again the Angevine Neapolitan troops. John also ruled over Asti until 1372, but seven years later the city council submitted to Galeazzo II Visconti
Galeazzo II Visconti
-External links:*...
's authority. The latter in turn assigned it to Louis of Valois, Duke of Orléans
Louis of Valois, Duke of Orléans
Louis I was Duke of Orléans from 1392 to his death. He was also Count of Valois, Duke of Touraine , Count of Blois , Angoulême , Périgord, Dreux, and Soissons....
.