Peace of Bagnolo
Encyclopedia
The War of Ferrara ending with the Peace of Bagnolo, was fought in 1482-1484 between Ercole I d'Este, duke of Ferrara, and the Papal forces mustered by Ercole's personal nemesis, Pope Sixtus IV
and his Venetian
allies. Hostilities ended with the Treaty of Bagnolo, signed on 7 August 1484.
's daring personal diplomacy with Ferdinand I of Naples
, the Pope's erstwhile champion, was a source of discontent among the Venetians and Pope Sixtus IV
alike. Venice had ended its long conflict with the Ottoman Turks
in 1479, with the Treaty of Constantinople
, and was freed to turn its complete attention to its role in its terra firma (main land) and generally to the peninsula of Italy.
At the beginning of 1482, on the suggestion of representatives of Girolamo Riario
— the nephew of Sixtus — who had taken possession of the strategic stronghold of Forlì
in September 1480, with quick papal confirmation, and now looked towards Ferrara in extending Della Rovere
territory, the Republic of Venice
declared war on Ferrara
, which was ruled by Ercole I d'Este. Venice was in an expansionist phase in the terra firma. In addition to the usual minor friction over possession strongholds along the borders, was a contest over the commerce in salt, which was reserved to Venice by a commercial pact; nevertheless, the city of the Este had begun to control saltworks at Comacchio
. These appeared a threat to mainland interests of the Serenissima
.
The immediate casus belli
, as usual, was a minor infraction of prerogatives: Venice maintained a representative in Ferrara with the high title of visdominio, under whose care were the Venetian community in Este lands; in 1481, overreaching his mandate with the arrest of a priest for debt, the visdominio was excommunicated by the vicar of the bishop of Ferrara, and forced out of the city. On this excuse, war was declared.
Allied with Venice, besides the papal troops and Riario as lord of Imola
and Forlì, were contingents supplied by the Republic of Genoa
and William VIII, Marquis of Montferrat. Taking Ferrara's part, loosely under the command of Federico da Montefeltro
, duke of Urbino, were troops of Ercole's father-in-law Ferdinand of Naples
, under his son Alfonso of Calabria
, who invaded the Papal States
from the south, as well as troops sent by Ludovico il Moro of Milan and by the lords of two cities threatened by the mainland power of Venice, Federico I Gonzaga
of Mantua
and Giovanni II Bentivoglio
of Bologna
.
attacked Ferrarese territory from the north, brutally sacking Adria
, quickly overrunning Comacchio, attacking Argenta
at the edge of the saltmarshes and besieging Ficarolo
in May (capitulated 29 June) and Rovigo
(capitulated 17 August).
Venetian forces crossed the Po River
and in November 1482 stood before the walls of Ferrara and laid strict siege to the city. Sixtus appears to have had a change of heart at the season's advances, which now threatened to put Venice in an uncomfortably strong position in mainland northern Italy.
In the Papal States, the Colonna took advantage of disorder, and fought pitched battles against their Della Rovere enemies. The main encounter, however, was the pitched Battle of Campomorto
near Velletri
, 21 August 1482, in which the Aragonese troops were soundly defeated by Roberto Malatesta
, the duke of Calabria being rescued by a contingent of his Turkish soldiers. Some Orsini castles fell into papal hands, but where battle failed malaria
succeeded, and Roberto Malatesta's death in Rome on 10 September largely unraveled Papal successes in the Lazio. Sixtus made a separate peace with Naples in a truce of 28 November and a peace treaty signed on 12 December.
His entreaties with Venice to cease hostilities were vigorously rebuffed, with threats of excommunication countered by the withdrawal of the Venetian ambassador, followed by Sixtus' interdict of Venice in May 1483. Now Sixtus granted free passage to Alfonso and his troops to go to the defense of Ferrara against the pope's recent allies, aided by papal troops under Virginio Orsini
. A contingent of Florentine troops arrived also, and the fortunes of Este began to look up.
In a diversionary tactic, Venice sent Roberto Sanseverino to attack the Duchy of Milan
under the pretext of supporting the rights of the Visconti
heir, but the diversion was further diverted when Robert had to turn aside to counter Alfonso, who was sacking Milanese territories. The war began to lose momentum.
in the Polesine
, lost at an early stage of the fighting, and the Venetian forces that were occupying Ferrara withdrew. Ercole avoided the absorption of Ferrara
, seat of the Este
, into the Papal States
.
Sixtus may have been rendered more eager to capitulate by the series of victories by Venetian forces, who seized the opportunity to forward their territorial ambitions and had been hasty to declare war on Ferrara on a minor pretext in the first place. Florence, Naples, Mantua, Milan, and Bologna stood by Ferrara. While the papal forces were holding in check the Neapolitans who sought to pass north to aid Ferrara, and with the Roman Campagna
being harassed by the Colonna
, and Milan engaged combatting Genoa, the Venetians had besieged and overwhelmed the defenses of Ferrara, forcing the city to starvation. With the Venetians in Ferrara, the Pope, fearing his erstwhile allies, suddenly changed sides: he made a treaty with Naples, and permitted the Neapolitan army to pass through his territories, and they availed themselves of the opportunity to convey supplies to Ferrara and neutralize the siege. At the same time the Pope excommunicated the Venetians, and now urged all Italy to make war upon them.
The Peace of Bagnolo checked Venetian expansion in the terra firma, ceding to it the town of Rovigo
and a broad swath of the fertile delta of the Po
. This acquisition agreed upon at Bagnolo marked the high-point of Venetian territory; never again would Venice control so large a territory nor have so much influence as it did in the last half of the 15th century.
Nevertheless, Sixtus was not pleased with the terms arrived at without consulting him:
The war was the subject of an anonymous poem entitled La guerra di Ferrara
Pope Sixtus IV
Pope Sixtus IV , born Francesco della Rovere, was Pope from 1471 to 1484. His accomplishments as Pope included the establishment of the Sistine Chapel; the group of artists that he brought together introduced the Early Renaissance into Rome with the first masterpiece of the city's new artistic age,...
and his Venetian
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
allies. Hostilities ended with the Treaty of Bagnolo, signed on 7 August 1484.
Diplomatic background
The unexpected peace arrived at in 1480 as a result of Lorenzo de' MediciLorenzo de' Medici
Lorenzo de' Medici was an Italian statesman and de facto ruler of the Florentine Republic during the Italian Renaissance. Known as Lorenzo the Magnificent by contemporary Florentines, he was a diplomat, politician and patron of scholars, artists and poets...
's daring personal diplomacy with Ferdinand I of Naples
Ferdinand I of Naples
Ferdinand I , also called Don Ferrante, was the King of Naples from 1458 to 1494. He was the natural son of Alfonso V of Aragon by Giraldona Carlino.-Biography:...
, the Pope's erstwhile champion, was a source of discontent among the Venetians and Pope Sixtus IV
Pope Sixtus IV
Pope Sixtus IV , born Francesco della Rovere, was Pope from 1471 to 1484. His accomplishments as Pope included the establishment of the Sistine Chapel; the group of artists that he brought together introduced the Early Renaissance into Rome with the first masterpiece of the city's new artistic age,...
alike. Venice had ended its long conflict with the Ottoman Turks
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
in 1479, with the Treaty of Constantinople
Treaty of Constantinople (1479)
The Treaty of Constantinople was signed on January 25, 1479, which officially ended the fifteen-year war between the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire. The agreement was established as a result of the Ottomans having reached the outskirts of Venice. Based on the terms of the treaty, the...
, and was freed to turn its complete attention to its role in its terra firma (main land) and generally to the peninsula of Italy.
At the beginning of 1482, on the suggestion of representatives of Girolamo Riario
Girolamo Riario
Girolamo Riario was Lord of Imola and Forlì in the 15th century.- Biography :Born in Savona, Riario was the son of Paolo Riario and Bianca della Rovere...
— the nephew of Sixtus — who had taken possession of the strategic stronghold of Forlì
Forlì
Forlì is a comune and city in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, and is the capital of the province of Forlì-Cesena. The city is situated along the Via Emilia, to the right of the Montone river, and is an important agricultural centre...
in September 1480, with quick papal confirmation, and now looked towards Ferrara in extending Della Rovere
Della Rovere
Della Rovere is a noble family of Italy. Coming from modest beginnings in Savona, Liguria, the family rose to prominence through nepotism and ambitious marriages arranged by two Della Rovere popes, Francesco della Rovere, who ruled as Pope Sixtus IV and his nephew Giuliano...
territory, the Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
declared war on Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
, which was ruled by Ercole I d'Este. Venice was in an expansionist phase in the terra firma. In addition to the usual minor friction over possession strongholds along the borders, was a contest over the commerce in salt, which was reserved to Venice by a commercial pact; nevertheless, the city of the Este had begun to control saltworks at Comacchio
Comacchio
Comacchio is a town and comune of Emilia Romagna, Italy, in the province of Ferrara, 48 km from the provincial capital Ferrara.-Geography:...
. These appeared a threat to mainland interests of the Serenissima
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
.
The immediate casus belli
Casus belli
is a Latin expression meaning the justification for acts of war. means "incident", "rupture" or indeed "case", while means bellic...
, as usual, was a minor infraction of prerogatives: Venice maintained a representative in Ferrara with the high title of visdominio, under whose care were the Venetian community in Este lands; in 1481, overreaching his mandate with the arrest of a priest for debt, the visdominio was excommunicated by the vicar of the bishop of Ferrara, and forced out of the city. On this excuse, war was declared.
Allied with Venice, besides the papal troops and Riario as lord of Imola
Imola
thumb|250px|The Cathedral of Imola.Imola is a town and comune in the province of Bologna, located on the Santerno river, in the Emilia-Romagna region of north-central Italy...
and Forlì, were contingents supplied by the Republic of Genoa
Republic of Genoa
The Most Serene Republic of Genoa |Ligurian]]: Repúbrica de Zêna) was an independent state from 1005 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast, as well as Corsica from 1347 to 1768, and numerous other territories throughout the Mediterranean....
and William VIII, Marquis of Montferrat. Taking Ferrara's part, loosely under the command of Federico da Montefeltro
Federico da Montefeltro
Federico da Montefeltro, also known as Federico III da Montefeltro , was one of the most successful condottieri of the Italian Renaissance, and lord of Urbino from 1444 until his death...
, duke of Urbino, were troops of Ercole's father-in-law Ferdinand of Naples
Ferdinand I of Naples
Ferdinand I , also called Don Ferrante, was the King of Naples from 1458 to 1494. He was the natural son of Alfonso V of Aragon by Giraldona Carlino.-Biography:...
, under his son Alfonso of Calabria
Alfonso II of Naples
Alfonso II of Naples , also called Alfonso II d'Aragon, was King of Naples from 25 January 1494 to 22 February 1495 with the title King of Naples and Jerusalem...
, who invaded the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
from the south, as well as troops sent by Ludovico il Moro of Milan and by the lords of two cities threatened by the mainland power of Venice, Federico I Gonzaga
Federico I Gonzaga
Federico I Gonzaga was marquess of Mantua from 1478 to 1484, as well as a condottiero.-Biography:Federico was born in Mantua in 1441, son of Ludovico II and Barbara of Brandenburg...
of Mantua
Mantua
Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
and Giovanni II Bentivoglio
Giovanni II Bentivoglio
Giovanni II Bentivoglio was an Italian nobleman who ruled as tyrant of Bologna from 1463 until 1506. He had no formal position, but held power as the city's "first citizen." The Bentivoglio family ruled over Bologna from 1443, and repeatedly attempted to consolidate their hold of the Signoria of...
of Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
.
The course of the war
Venetian troops led by the condottiero Roberto SanseverinoRoberto Sanseverino
Roberto Sanseverino was an Italian nobleman and admiral of the Kingdom of Naples. He was the first prince of Salerno from 1463, as well as the count of Marsica and Sanseverino, baron of Cilento and lord of Agropoli and Castellabate....
attacked Ferrarese territory from the north, brutally sacking Adria
Adria
Adria is a town and comune in the province of Rovigo in the Veneto region of Northern Italy, situated between the mouths of the rivers Adige and Po....
, quickly overrunning Comacchio, attacking Argenta
Argenta, Italy
Argenta is a town and comune in the province of Ferrara, Emilia–Romagna, north east Italy. It is located about 30 km southeast of Ferrara, and midway between Ferrara and Ravenna.-Geography:...
at the edge of the saltmarshes and besieging Ficarolo
Ficarolo
Ficarolo is a comune in the Province of Rovigo in the Italian region Veneto, located about 90 km southwest of Venice and about 30 km southwest of Rovigo...
in May (capitulated 29 June) and Rovigo
Rovigo
Rovigo is a town and comune in the Veneto region of North-Eastern Italy, the capital of the eponymous province. -Geography:...
(capitulated 17 August).
Venetian forces crossed the Po River
Po River
The Po |Ligurian]]: Bodincus or Bodencus) is a river that flows either or – considering the length of the Maira, a right bank tributary – eastward across northern Italy, from a spring seeping from a stony hillside at Pian del Re, a flat place at the head of the Val Po under the northwest face...
and in November 1482 stood before the walls of Ferrara and laid strict siege to the city. Sixtus appears to have had a change of heart at the season's advances, which now threatened to put Venice in an uncomfortably strong position in mainland northern Italy.
In the Papal States, the Colonna took advantage of disorder, and fought pitched battles against their Della Rovere enemies. The main encounter, however, was the pitched Battle of Campomorto
Battle of Campomorto
The Battle of Campomorto is a battle fought near Frosinone, in the Lazio on August 21, 1482, in the course of the War of Ferrara.It saw the Papal army, led by the famous condottiero Roberto Malatesta, face King Ferdinand I of Naples's army, under the command of Alfonso, Duke of Calabria.Malatesta...
near Velletri
Velletri
Velletri is an Italian town of 53,298 inhabitants. It is a comune in the province of Rome, on the Alban Hills, in Lazio - Italy. It is bounded by other communes of Rocca di Papa, Lariano, Cisterna di Latina, Artena, Aprilia, Nemi, Genzano di Roma, Lanuvio...
, 21 August 1482, in which the Aragonese troops were soundly defeated by Roberto Malatesta
Roberto Malatesta
Roberto Malatesta was an Italian condottiero and lord of Rimini, a member of the House of Malatesta.-Biography:...
, the duke of Calabria being rescued by a contingent of his Turkish soldiers. Some Orsini castles fell into papal hands, but where battle failed malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
succeeded, and Roberto Malatesta's death in Rome on 10 September largely unraveled Papal successes in the Lazio. Sixtus made a separate peace with Naples in a truce of 28 November and a peace treaty signed on 12 December.
His entreaties with Venice to cease hostilities were vigorously rebuffed, with threats of excommunication countered by the withdrawal of the Venetian ambassador, followed by Sixtus' interdict of Venice in May 1483. Now Sixtus granted free passage to Alfonso and his troops to go to the defense of Ferrara against the pope's recent allies, aided by papal troops under Virginio Orsini
Virginio Orsini
Gentile Virginio Orsini was an Italian condottiero and vassal of the papal throne and the Kingdom of Naples, mainly remembered as the powerful head of the Orsini family during its feud with Pope Alexander VI...
. A contingent of Florentine troops arrived also, and the fortunes of Este began to look up.
In a diversionary tactic, Venice sent Roberto Sanseverino to attack the Duchy of Milan
Duchy of Milan
The Duchy of Milan , was created on the 1st of may 1395, when Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Lord of Milan, purchased a diploma for 100,000 Florins from King Wenceslaus. It was this diploma that installed, Gian Galeazzo as Duke of Milan and Count of Pavia...
under the pretext of supporting the rights of the Visconti
House of Visconti
Visconti is the family name of two important Italian noble dynasties of the Middle Ages. There are two distinct Visconti families: The first one in the Republic of Pisa in the mid twelfth century who achieved prominence first in Pisa, then in Sardinia where they became rulers of Gallura...
heir, but the diversion was further diverted when Robert had to turn aside to counter Alfonso, who was sacking Milanese territories. The war began to lose momentum.
The Treaty of Bagnolo
The war came to a conclusion with the Treaty of Bagnolo, signed on 7 August 1484. Ercole ceded the territory of RovigoRovigo
Rovigo is a town and comune in the Veneto region of North-Eastern Italy, the capital of the eponymous province. -Geography:...
in the Polesine
Polesine
Polesine is a geographic and historic area in the north-east of Italy corresponding nowadays with the province of Rovigo; it is a strip of land about 100-km long and 18-km wide located between the lower courses of the Adige and the Po rivers.- Geography :...
, lost at an early stage of the fighting, and the Venetian forces that were occupying Ferrara withdrew. Ercole avoided the absorption of Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
, seat of the Este
Este
The House of Este is a European princely dynasty. It is split into two branches; the elder is known as the House of Welf-Este or House of Welf historically rendered in English, Guelf or Guelph...
, into the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
.
Sixtus may have been rendered more eager to capitulate by the series of victories by Venetian forces, who seized the opportunity to forward their territorial ambitions and had been hasty to declare war on Ferrara on a minor pretext in the first place. Florence, Naples, Mantua, Milan, and Bologna stood by Ferrara. While the papal forces were holding in check the Neapolitans who sought to pass north to aid Ferrara, and with the Roman Campagna
Campagna
Campagna is a small town and comune of the province of Salerno, in the Campania region of Southern Italy.-History:The town, located in a mountainous district, gradually lost importance in the 20th century...
being harassed by the Colonna
Colonna family
The Colonna family is an Italian noble family; it was powerful in medieval and Renaissance Rome, supplying one Pope and many other Church and political leaders...
, and Milan engaged combatting Genoa, the Venetians had besieged and overwhelmed the defenses of Ferrara, forcing the city to starvation. With the Venetians in Ferrara, the Pope, fearing his erstwhile allies, suddenly changed sides: he made a treaty with Naples, and permitted the Neapolitan army to pass through his territories, and they availed themselves of the opportunity to convey supplies to Ferrara and neutralize the siege. At the same time the Pope excommunicated the Venetians, and now urged all Italy to make war upon them.
The Peace of Bagnolo checked Venetian expansion in the terra firma, ceding to it the town of Rovigo
Rovigo
Rovigo is a town and comune in the Veneto region of North-Eastern Italy, the capital of the eponymous province. -Geography:...
and a broad swath of the fertile delta of the Po
Po River
The Po |Ligurian]]: Bodincus or Bodencus) is a river that flows either or – considering the length of the Maira, a right bank tributary – eastward across northern Italy, from a spring seeping from a stony hillside at Pian del Re, a flat place at the head of the Val Po under the northwest face...
. This acquisition agreed upon at Bagnolo marked the high-point of Venetian territory; never again would Venice control so large a territory nor have so much influence as it did in the last half of the 15th century.
Nevertheless, Sixtus was not pleased with the terms arrived at without consulting him:
- "The news of it literally killed Sixtus. When the ambassadors declared to him the terms of the treaty he was thrown into a violent rage, and declared the peace to be at once shameful and humiliating. The gout from which he suffered flew to his heart, and on the following day— 12 August 1484— he died."
The war was the subject of an anonymous poem entitled La guerra di Ferrara
External links
- The Ferrarese War 1482-84 On-line links
- La guerra di Ferrara details in Italian