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Siege of Florence (1529)
Encyclopedia
The Siege of Florence took place from October 24, 1529 to August 10, 1530, at the end of the War of the League of Cognac
. A large Imperial
and Spanish
army under Philibert of Châlon, Prince of Orange
and Pier Maria III de' Rossi
surrounded the city, and, after a siege of nearly ten months, captured it, overthrowing the Republic of Florence
and installing Alessandro de' Medici as the ruler of the city.
The Florentines
had thrown off Medici
rule and established a republic after the Sack of Rome
in 1527; the Florentine Republic had continued to participate in the war on the side of the French
. The French defeats at Naples
in 1528 and Landriano
in 1529, however, led to Francis I of France
concluding the Treaty of Cambrai with the Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V
. When Pope
Clement VII and the Republic of Venice
also concluded treaties with the Emperor, Florence was left to fight alone. Charles, attempting to gain Clement's favor, ordered his armies to seize Florence and return the Medici to power.
The Republic resisted this incursion; but, left without allies and betrayed by many of the mercenaries in her employ, Florence was unable to keep fighting indefinitely. After the capture of Volterra
by the Imperial forces and the death of Francesco Ferruccio
at the Battle of Gavinana
, further resistance became impractical, and the city surrendered in August 1530.
at the end of July; there, he was given some 30,000 ducat
s (with promises of additional funds later) by the Pope, and ordered to attack Perugia
(which was held by Malatesta Baglioni) and Florence
. Orange was able to collect some 7,000 infantry, mostly the remnants of the landsknechts which had followed Georg Frundsberg into Italy
in 1526 as well as various Italian companies no longer employed due to the denouement of the war. Florence, meanwhile, was preparing to resist the attack, raising nearly 10,000 militia and demolishing the parts of the city outside the walls.
Orange proceeded towards Florence, gathering additional troops along the way. He was hampered by a lack of artillery
, and was forced to requisition some from Siena
. The Siennese, having little love for the Pope, provided it; but they delayed its arrival as long as they could. By September 24, the Imperial forces were still in Montevarchi, twenty-five miles from Florence, waiting for the promised cannon.
In Florence, meanwhile, confusion reigned. The Council of Ten urged surrendering to Clement; the gonfaloniere
adamantly refused, and demanded that defensive works continue. A number of condottiere which the Republic had earlier hired refused to take the field against the Emperor. After Firenzuola
was sacked by troops in Imperial pay, many of Florence's most prominent citizens fled. Among these was Michelangelo Buonarroti, the artist and architect, who had been placed in command of the fortification
of the city; departing on September 10 after having fruitlessly warned the gonfaloniere that Malatesta Baglioni would betray the city, he would nevertheless return in mid-November to take up his post once again, in which capacity he would continue to serve until the end of the siege.
In preparations for the defense of the city, a number of outlying convents and monasteries were destroyed, including the convent church of San Giovanni Evangelista, a monastery of Augustinian friars outside the Porta San Gallo, the convents of Monte Domini and Monticelli, the Camaldolese monastery of San Benedetto fuori della Porta Pinti, San Donato in Polverosa, and San Giusto degli Ingesuati, together with its frescoes by Pietro Perugino
. Other works painted for San Giusto by Perugino, along with its altarpiece by Domenico Ghirlandaio
, are preserved in the Uffizi
.
The significant progress made on the fortifications, and the delays in the Imperial movement, strengthened the city's resolve to fight. On October 5, Orange resumed his march; by October 24, he had encamped his army on the hills around Florence. The city was garrisoned by some 8,000 soldiers of various kinds. Viewing the Florentine earthworks too substantial to easily take by assault, the Imperial army settled into a pattern of artillery duels and skirmishing with the defenders instead. Meanwhile, the lack of fighting in other portions of Italy drew thousands of unemployed soldiers to the Imperial army, substantially swelling its ranks; the new arrivals included Fabrizio Maramaldo
, whose reputation for brutality was such that even Clement opposed allowing him to take part in the siege.
The promises of aid the Florentines had received from Francis I of France
were revealed to have been overstated. Although his sons had been released from Madrid, Francis did not wish to openly challenge Charles so soon. While he did provide some sums of money to the Florentine merchants—money that, apparently, he had owed to them to begin with—he did not send any troops to relieve Florence, as he had promised.
The focus of the fighting then shifted to the town of Volterra
, which commanded the lines of communication to Florence, and whose citadel was still in Florentine hands. The Imperial forces attacked Volterra; the Florentines responded by dispatching Francesco Ferruccio
, the commander of the garrison at Empoli
, to relieve it. Ferruccio easily overran the Imperial troops; but, defying the orders of the Council of Ten, which called for him to remain in Volterra, he marched back to Empoli with the majority of his troops. This allowed a second, more successful Imperial assault to take place after his departure.
With the loss of Volterra, Florentine hopes of opening a supply line into the city dwindled, and Florence looked to the arrival of Ferruccio with a relief army, which he had gathered around Pisa
. Orange, having arranged that Baglioni would not attack the Imperial forces in his absence, marched out with the larger portion of his army to intercept him. On August 3, 1530, the two armies met at the Battle of Gavinana
; both Orange and Ferruccio were killed, and the Florentine forces were decisively defeated.
Despite the attempts of some citizens to continue the resistance—as well as infighting within the city government—Florence could not hold out with Ferruccio's army destroyed. On August 10, the representatives of the Republic surrendered to the Imperial forces. Baglioni and the remainder of his troops abandoned the city, and the Medici returned to power. Over the next few months, many of the Republic's leaders were executed or banished.
War of the League of Cognac
The War of the League of Cognac was fought between the Habsburg dominions of Charles V—primarily Spain and the Holy Roman Empire—and the League of Cognac, an alliance including France, Pope Clement VII, the Republic of Venice, England, the Duchy of Milan and Republic of Florence.- Prelude :Shocked...
. A large Imperial
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
and Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
army under Philibert of Châlon, Prince of Orange
Philibert of Châlon
Philibert de Châlon was the last prince of Orange from the house of Châlon.Born at Nozeroy to John IV of Chalon-Arlay, Philibert served Emperor Charles V as commander in Italy, fighting in the War of the League of Cognac. He took part in the Sack of Rome and was killed during the final stages of...
and Pier Maria III de' Rossi
Pier Maria III de' Rossi
Pier Maria III de' Rossi was an Italian general and nobleman, the second marquess and seventh count of San Secondo.-Biography:...
surrounded the city, and, after a siege of nearly ten months, captured it, overthrowing the Republic of Florence
Republic of Florence
The Republic of Florence , or the Florentine Republic, was a city-state that was centered on the city of Florence, located in modern Tuscany, Italy. The republic was founded in 1115, when the Florentine people rebelled against the Margraviate of Tuscany upon Margravine Matilda's death. The...
and installing Alessandro de' Medici as the ruler of the city.
The Florentines
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
had thrown off Medici
Medici
The House of Medici or Famiglia de' Medici was a political dynasty, banking family and later royal house that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici in the Republic of Florence during the late 14th century. The family originated in the Mugello region of the Tuscan countryside,...
rule and established a republic after the Sack of Rome
Sack of Rome (1527)
The Sack of Rome on 6 May 1527 was a military event carried out by the mutinous troops of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor in Rome, then part of the Papal States...
in 1527; the Florentine Republic had continued to participate in the war on the side of the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The French defeats at 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...
in 1528 and Landriano
Battle of Landriano
The Battle of Landriano took place on 21 June 1529, between the French army under Francis de Bourbon, Comte de St. Pol and the Spanish army commanded by Don Antonio de Leyva, Duke of Terranova in the context of the War of the League of Cognac...
in 1529, however, led to Francis I of France
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
concluding the Treaty of Cambrai with the Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
. When Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
Clement VII and 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...
also concluded treaties with the Emperor, Florence was left to fight alone. Charles, attempting to gain Clement's favor, ordered his armies to seize Florence and return the Medici to power.
The Republic resisted this incursion; but, left without allies and betrayed by many of the mercenaries in her employ, Florence was unable to keep fighting indefinitely. After the capture of Volterra
Volterra
Volterra, known to the ancient Etruscans as Velathri, to the Romans as Volaterrae, is a town and comune in the Tuscany region of Italy.-History:...
by the Imperial forces and the death of Francesco Ferruccio
Francesco Ferruccio
Francesco Ferruccio was an Italian captain from Florence who fought in the Italian Wars.-Biography:...
at the Battle of Gavinana
Battle of Gavinana
The Battle of Gavinana was a battle in the War of the League of Cognac. It was fought on 3 August 1530 between the city of Florence and the Imperial army of the Holy Roman Empire....
, further resistance became impractical, and the city surrendered in August 1530.
Prelude
At the conclusion of the Treaty of Bologna in the summer of 1529, Charles and Clement began to plan an offensive against the Florentine Republic. Orange arrived in RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
at the end of July; there, he was given some 30,000 ducat
Ducat
The ducat is a gold coin that was used as a trade coin throughout Europe before World War I. Its weight is 3.4909 grams of .986 gold, which is 0.1107 troy ounce, actual gold weight...
s (with promises of additional funds later) by the Pope, and ordered to attack Perugia
Perugia
Perugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the River Tiber, and the capital of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area....
(which was held by Malatesta Baglioni) and Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
. Orange was able to collect some 7,000 infantry, mostly the remnants of the landsknechts which had followed Georg Frundsberg into 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 1526 as well as various Italian companies no longer employed due to the denouement of the war. Florence, meanwhile, was preparing to resist the attack, raising nearly 10,000 militia and demolishing the parts of the city outside the walls.
Orange proceeded towards Florence, gathering additional troops along the way. He was hampered by a lack of artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
, and was forced to requisition some from Siena
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
. The Siennese, having little love for the Pope, provided it; but they delayed its arrival as long as they could. By September 24, the Imperial forces were still in Montevarchi, twenty-five miles from Florence, waiting for the promised cannon.
In Florence, meanwhile, confusion reigned. The Council of Ten urged surrendering to Clement; the gonfaloniere
Gonfaloniere of Justice
Gonfaloniere of Justice was a post in the government of medieval and early Renaissance Florence. Like Florence's Podestà and Priori, it was introduced in 1293 when Giano Della Bella's Ordinamenti di Giustizia came into force....
adamantly refused, and demanded that defensive works continue. A number of condottiere which the Republic had earlier hired refused to take the field against the Emperor. After Firenzuola
Firenzuola
Firenzuola is a comune in the Province of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 40 km northeast of Florence....
was sacked by troops in Imperial pay, many of Florence's most prominent citizens fled. Among these was Michelangelo Buonarroti, the artist and architect, who had been placed in command of the fortification
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
of the city; departing on September 10 after having fruitlessly warned the gonfaloniere that Malatesta Baglioni would betray the city, he would nevertheless return in mid-November to take up his post once again, in which capacity he would continue to serve until the end of the siege.
In preparations for the defense of the city, a number of outlying convents and monasteries were destroyed, including the convent church of San Giovanni Evangelista, a monastery of Augustinian friars outside the Porta San Gallo, the convents of Monte Domini and Monticelli, the Camaldolese monastery of San Benedetto fuori della Porta Pinti, San Donato in Polverosa, and San Giusto degli Ingesuati, together with its frescoes by Pietro Perugino
Pietro Perugino
Pietro Perugino , born Pietro Vannucci, was an Italian Renaissance painter of the Umbrian school, who developed some of the qualities that found classic expression in the High Renaissance...
. Other works painted for San Giusto by Perugino, along with its altarpiece by Domenico Ghirlandaio
Domenico Ghirlandaio
Domenico Ghirlandaio was an Italian Renaissance painter from Florence. Among his many apprentices was Michelangelo.-Early years:Ghirlandaio's full name is given as Domenico di Tommaso di Currado di Doffo Bigordi...
, are preserved in the Uffizi
Uffizi
The Uffizi Gallery , is a museum in Florence, Italy. It is one of the oldest and most famous art museums of the Western world.-History:...
.
Siege
Fabrizio Maramaldo
Fabrizio Maramaldo was an Italian condottiere.An illiterate native of Naples or Calabria, his exact origins are unknown, though he hailed from the Kingdom of Naples, and was perhaps of Spanish origin. He fled Naples after having murdered his wife and sought protection at the Gonzaga under Federico...
, whose reputation for brutality was such that even Clement opposed allowing him to take part in the siege.
The promises of aid the Florentines had received from Francis I of France
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
were revealed to have been overstated. Although his sons had been released from Madrid, Francis did not wish to openly challenge Charles so soon. While he did provide some sums of money to the Florentine merchants—money that, apparently, he had owed to them to begin with—he did not send any troops to relieve Florence, as he had promised.
The focus of the fighting then shifted to the town of Volterra
Volterra
Volterra, known to the ancient Etruscans as Velathri, to the Romans as Volaterrae, is a town and comune in the Tuscany region of Italy.-History:...
, which commanded the lines of communication to Florence, and whose citadel was still in Florentine hands. The Imperial forces attacked Volterra; the Florentines responded by dispatching Francesco Ferruccio
Francesco Ferruccio
Francesco Ferruccio was an Italian captain from Florence who fought in the Italian Wars.-Biography:...
, the commander of the garrison at Empoli
Empoli
Empoli is a town and comune in Tuscany, Italy, about 20 km southwest of Florence, to the south of the Arno in a plain formed by the latter river. The plain has been usable for agriculture since Roman times. The commune's territory becomes a hilly one as it departs from the river...
, to relieve it. Ferruccio easily overran the Imperial troops; but, defying the orders of the Council of Ten, which called for him to remain in Volterra, he marched back to Empoli with the majority of his troops. This allowed a second, more successful Imperial assault to take place after his departure.
With the loss of Volterra, Florentine hopes of opening a supply line into the city dwindled, and Florence looked to the arrival of Ferruccio with a relief army, which he had gathered around Pisa
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
. Orange, having arranged that Baglioni would not attack the Imperial forces in his absence, marched out with the larger portion of his army to intercept him. On August 3, 1530, the two armies met at the Battle of Gavinana
Battle of Gavinana
The Battle of Gavinana was a battle in the War of the League of Cognac. It was fought on 3 August 1530 between the city of Florence and the Imperial army of the Holy Roman Empire....
; both Orange and Ferruccio were killed, and the Florentine forces were decisively defeated.
Despite the attempts of some citizens to continue the resistance—as well as infighting within the city government—Florence could not hold out with Ferruccio's army destroyed. On August 10, the representatives of the Republic surrendered to the Imperial forces. Baglioni and the remainder of his troops abandoned the city, and the Medici returned to power. Over the next few months, many of the Republic's leaders were executed or banished.