Battle of Seminara (1503)
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Seminara of 1503 took place on 21 April 1503, near Seminara
and Gioia Tauro
, Calabria
, between the French troops under the command of Bérault Stuart d'Aubigny
and the Spanish troops commanded by Don Fernando de Andrade
during the Second Italian War
.
and Ferdinand II of Aragon
signed the Treaty of Granada, still under Frederick IV of Naples
´s rule, in which they agreed to share the Kingdom of Naples
, equally.
In 1501 the French army under Bérault Stuart d'Aubigny
penetrated into Naples
from the North, while the Spanish army commanded by Don Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba
occupied the southern part. Frederick IV
was overthrown and his kingdom divided between the two occupying forces, as stipulated in the treaty. There were soon signs of dissent growing between the Spanish and the French for the possession for the area that divided their territories and by June, 1502, armed conflict broke out between them.
The more numerous French forces were divided into two; the French Viceroy of Naples Louis d'Armagnac
remained in Apulia
surrounding Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba in Barletta
while Stuart d'Aubigny pursued the Spanish forces under Hugo de Cardona and Manuel de Benavides in Calabria
.
At the start of 1503 it seemed that peace was descending, due, mainly to the diplomatic negotiations that Philip I of Castile
, son in law of Ferdinand II of Aragon
had made with the French King
signing the Treaty of Lyon, but Ferdinand refusal to ratify the agreement, left things as they were.
, headed for Naples
and sent by King Ferdinand
to support Gonzalo de Córdoba
guided by Luis Portocarrero, with 40 ships, 600 cavalry and 2,000 infantry aboard, and arrived in Messina on 5 March. Shortly after Portocarrero died, leaving Don Fernando de Andrade
as his successor in command of the Spanish forces.
On hearing about the Spanish reinforcements, Bérault Stuart d'Aubigny
gathered together 200 horsemen and 800 infantry and marched towards Terranova
. Faced with the arrival of Spanish reinforcements he lifted the siege of Terranova and marched towards San Martino
, meanwhile Fernando de Andrade
gathered all his troops in Seminara
. After negotiating, both sides agreed to do battle the following Friday 21 April. On the agreed date both armies met up half way between Seminara
and Gioia Tauro
. In the ensuing battle the Spanish defeated the French army, who retreated northbound while being chased and harassed by the Spanish.
would be besieged in Castel Angitola
, where he surrendered 30 days later. After that he was taken to Castel Nuovo
as a prisoner. Once the French army had been defeated, the Province of Calabria
was left under Spanish control. One week after this military confrontation, Don Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba
would defeat the French in the Battle of Cerignola
, again changing the direction of the war, after which, would turn in Spain's favour.
Seminara
Seminara is a comune in the Province of Reggio Calabria in the Italian region Calabria, located about 90 km southwest of Catanzaro and about 30 km northeast of Reggio Calabria....
and Gioia Tauro
Gioia Tauro
Gioia Tauro is a comune in the province of Reggio Calabria, in Calabria , on the Tyrrhenian coast. It has an important port, situated along the route connecting Suez to Gibraltar, one of the busiest maritime corridors in the world....
, Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
, between the French troops under the command of Bérault Stuart d'Aubigny
Bernard Stewart, Lord of Aubigny
Bernard Stewart, 4rd Lord of Aubigny was a French soldier, Commander of the Garde Écossaise, and diplomat belonging to the Scottish family of Stewart of Darnley.-Early life:...
and the Spanish troops commanded by Don Fernando de Andrade
Fernando de Andrade de las Mariñas
Fernando de Andrade de las Mariñas , First Count of Andrade and Second of Villalba, Lord of Puentedeume and Ferrol, was a Spanish nobleman and important military commander during the Italian Wars. He defeated the French troops of Bérault Stuart d'Aubigny at the Battle of Seminara in the context...
during the Second Italian War
Second Italian War
The Second Italian War , sometimes known as Louis XII's Italian War or the War over Naples, was the second of the Italian Wars; it was fought primarily by Louis XII of France and Ferdinand II of Aragon, with the participation of several Italian powers...
.
Background
In November 1500 both Louis XII of FranceLouis XII of France
Louis proved to be a popular king. At the end of his reign the crown deficit was no greater than it had been when he succeeded Charles VIII in 1498, despite several expensive military campaigns in Italy. His fiscal reforms of 1504 and 1508 tightened and improved procedures for the collection of taxes...
and Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand the Catholic was King of Aragon , Sicily , Naples , Valencia, Sardinia, and Navarre, Count of Barcelona, jure uxoris King of Castile and then regent of that country also from 1508 to his death, in the name of...
signed the Treaty of Granada, still under Frederick IV of Naples
Frederick IV of Naples
Frederick IV , sometimes known as Frederick I or Federico d'Aragona, was the last King of Naples of the House of Trastámara, ruling from 1496 to 1501...
´s rule, in which they agreed to share 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...
, equally.
In 1501 the French army under Bérault Stuart d'Aubigny
Bernard Stewart, Lord of Aubigny
Bernard Stewart, 4rd Lord of Aubigny was a French soldier, Commander of the Garde Écossaise, and diplomat belonging to the Scottish family of Stewart of Darnley.-Early life:...
penetrated into Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
from the North, while the Spanish army commanded by Don Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba
Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba
Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba known as The Great Captain, Duke of Terranova and Santangelo, Andria, Montalto and Sessa, also known as Gonzalo de Córdoba, Italian: Gonsalvo or Consalvo Ernandes di Cordova was a Spanish general fighting in the times of the Conquest of Granada and the Italian Wars...
occupied the southern part. Frederick IV
Frederick IV of Naples
Frederick IV , sometimes known as Frederick I or Federico d'Aragona, was the last King of Naples of the House of Trastámara, ruling from 1496 to 1501...
was overthrown and his kingdom divided between the two occupying forces, as stipulated in the treaty. There were soon signs of dissent growing between the Spanish and the French for the possession for the area that divided their territories and by June, 1502, armed conflict broke out between them.
The more numerous French forces were divided into two; the French Viceroy of Naples Louis d'Armagnac
Louis d'Armagnac, Duke of Nemours
Louis d'Armagnac, Duke of Nemours , known for most of his life as the Count of Guise, was the third son of Jacques d'Armagnac, Duke of Nemours and Louise of Anjou....
remained in Apulia
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
surrounding Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba in Barletta
Barletta
Barletta is a city and comune located in the north of Apulia in south eastern Italy. Its current population is 94,140.It is famous for the Colossus of Barletta, a bronze statue, representing a Roman Emperor...
while Stuart d'Aubigny pursued the Spanish forces under Hugo de Cardona and Manuel de Benavides in Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
.
At the start of 1503 it seemed that peace was descending, due, mainly to the diplomatic negotiations that Philip I of Castile
Philip I of Castile
Philip I , known as Philip the Handsome or the Fair, was the first Habsburg King of Castile...
, son in law of Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand the Catholic was King of Aragon , Sicily , Naples , Valencia, Sardinia, and Navarre, Count of Barcelona, jure uxoris King of Castile and then regent of that country also from 1508 to his death, in the name of...
had made with the French King
Louis XII of France
Louis proved to be a popular king. At the end of his reign the crown deficit was no greater than it had been when he succeeded Charles VIII in 1498, despite several expensive military campaigns in Italy. His fiscal reforms of 1504 and 1508 tightened and improved procedures for the collection of taxes...
signing the Treaty of Lyon, but Ferdinand refusal to ratify the agreement, left things as they were.
The Battle
In February the Spanish fleet set sail from CartagenaCartagena, Spain
Cartagena is a Spanish city and a major naval station located in the Region of Murcia, by the Mediterranean coast, south-eastern Spain. As of January 2011, it has a population of 218,210 inhabitants being the Region’s second largest municipality and the country’s 6th non-Province capital...
, headed for Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
and sent by King Ferdinand
Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand the Catholic was King of Aragon , Sicily , Naples , Valencia, Sardinia, and Navarre, Count of Barcelona, jure uxoris King of Castile and then regent of that country also from 1508 to his death, in the name of...
to support Gonzalo de Córdoba
Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba
Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba known as The Great Captain, Duke of Terranova and Santangelo, Andria, Montalto and Sessa, also known as Gonzalo de Córdoba, Italian: Gonsalvo or Consalvo Ernandes di Cordova was a Spanish general fighting in the times of the Conquest of Granada and the Italian Wars...
guided by Luis Portocarrero, with 40 ships, 600 cavalry and 2,000 infantry aboard, and arrived in Messina on 5 March. Shortly after Portocarrero died, leaving Don Fernando de Andrade
Fernando de Andrade de las Mariñas
Fernando de Andrade de las Mariñas , First Count of Andrade and Second of Villalba, Lord of Puentedeume and Ferrol, was a Spanish nobleman and important military commander during the Italian Wars. He defeated the French troops of Bérault Stuart d'Aubigny at the Battle of Seminara in the context...
as his successor in command of the Spanish forces.
On hearing about the Spanish reinforcements, Bérault Stuart d'Aubigny
Bernard Stewart, Lord of Aubigny
Bernard Stewart, 4rd Lord of Aubigny was a French soldier, Commander of the Garde Écossaise, and diplomat belonging to the Scottish family of Stewart of Darnley.-Early life:...
gathered together 200 horsemen and 800 infantry and marched towards Terranova
Terranova
Terranova is a German band based between Berlin and Paris made up of current members Fetisch,&me.Terranova are signed to Kompakt records.Terranova was formed in 1996 by Fetisch, Marco Meister and Kaos. They previously went under the moniker Turntable Terranova on the Compost label and sometimes...
. Faced with the arrival of Spanish reinforcements he lifted the siege of Terranova and marched towards San Martino
San Martino di Taurianova
San Martino is a frazione of the comune of Taurianova of about 2,000 inhabitants situated in the Province of Reggio Calabria.-History:The origins of San Martino dates back to the mid of 10th century, by refugees of ancient Tauriana, destroyed by the Saracen....
, meanwhile Fernando de Andrade
Fernando de Andrade de las Mariñas
Fernando de Andrade de las Mariñas , First Count of Andrade and Second of Villalba, Lord of Puentedeume and Ferrol, was a Spanish nobleman and important military commander during the Italian Wars. He defeated the French troops of Bérault Stuart d'Aubigny at the Battle of Seminara in the context...
gathered all his troops in Seminara
Seminara
Seminara is a comune in the Province of Reggio Calabria in the Italian region Calabria, located about 90 km southwest of Catanzaro and about 30 km northeast of Reggio Calabria....
. After negotiating, both sides agreed to do battle the following Friday 21 April. On the agreed date both armies met up half way between Seminara
Seminara
Seminara is a comune in the Province of Reggio Calabria in the Italian region Calabria, located about 90 km southwest of Catanzaro and about 30 km northeast of Reggio Calabria....
and Gioia Tauro
Gioia Tauro
Gioia Tauro is a comune in the province of Reggio Calabria, in Calabria , on the Tyrrhenian coast. It has an important port, situated along the route connecting Suez to Gibraltar, one of the busiest maritime corridors in the world....
. In the ensuing battle the Spanish defeated the French army, who retreated northbound while being chased and harassed by the Spanish.
Consequences
Finally Bérault Stuart d'AubignyBernard Stewart, Lord of Aubigny
Bernard Stewart, 4rd Lord of Aubigny was a French soldier, Commander of the Garde Écossaise, and diplomat belonging to the Scottish family of Stewart of Darnley.-Early life:...
would be besieged in Castel Angitola
Francavilla Angitola
Francavilla Angitola is a comune in the Province of Vibo Valentia in the Italian region Calabria, located about 30 km southwest of Catanzaro and about 20 km northeast of Vibo Valentia...
, where he surrendered 30 days later. After that he was taken to Castel Nuovo
Castel Nuovo
Castel Nuovo , often called Maschio Angioino, is a medieval castle in the city of Naples, southern Italy. It is the main symbol of the architecture of the city...
as a prisoner. Once the French army had been defeated, the Province of Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
was left under Spanish control. One week after this military confrontation, Don Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba
Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba
Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba known as The Great Captain, Duke of Terranova and Santangelo, Andria, Montalto and Sessa, also known as Gonzalo de Córdoba, Italian: Gonsalvo or Consalvo Ernandes di Cordova was a Spanish general fighting in the times of the Conquest of Granada and the Italian Wars...
would defeat the French in the Battle of Cerignola
Battle of Cerignola
The Battle of Cerignola was fought on April 28, 1503, between Spanish and French armies, in Cerignola, next Bari, Southern Italy. It is noted as the first battle in history won by gunpowder small arms....
, again changing the direction of the war, after which, would turn in Spain's favour.