War of the Bucket
Encyclopedia
The War of the Bucket or the War of the Oaken Bucket was a war between the Guelphs and Ghibellines
. It took place in the northern Italian municipality of Emilia-Romagna
, which was then Bolognese territory. The two city states engaged in battle at the Battle of Zappolino
, where the Modenese hammered the Bolognese, though both sides lost about 2,000 men. The war was a decisive Modenese victory over the Bolognese, and the bucket remained in Modenese hands. After the Battle of Campaldino
in 1289, the Ghibellines made a great comeback.
was defeated at the Battle of Legnano
by the Lombard League
, which was a league that supported Pope Alexander III
. This was the start of a long period in Medieval Italy, known as the Guelphs and Ghibellines
. From that year, the two opposing factions warred with each other. The town of Modena
was a staunch supporter of the Holy Roman Empire
, and pledged to be a Ghibelline city. The northern city of Bologna
was a Guelph city, and it was led by the Popes due to its support for them. When a couple of Modenese soldiers snuck into Bologna's town center, they stole a civic bucket filled with loot and returned to Modena
. The humiliated Bolognese declared war on Modena.
Pope John XXII
led the Bolognese, due to being the headman of the Guelphs. He attacked Passerino Bonacolsi's troops near Zappolino. He had 2,000 cavalry and 30,000 infantry on the battlefield. Bonacolsi had about 2,000 cavalry and 5,000 infantry opposed to Pope John's Army. Zappolino in the modern-day Province of Bologna
, and it was fought on Bolognese soil. The two forces both engaged in battle, and both sides together lost 2,000 men. The Modenese won the battle, and thus they were able to keep the bucket and the ability to remain a Ghibelline state. The story of the Battle of Zappolino
was recorded in Alessandro Tassoni
's poem La Secchia Rapita
. Bologna was destroyed, and Ghibelline power had made a drastic rise.
, in Modena
, where it stays today. in After the war, Ghibelline power had risen up more, but the wars weren't over. In 1447, the Ghibellines had encountered failures when the Ambrosian Republic
was created and broke down. The wars of the Guelphs and Ghibellines would continue until the year 1529, when Charles I of Spain
seized Imperial power in Italy during the Italian Wars
. The two sides had to break it apart, and they went to peace with each other.
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...
. It took place in the northern Italian municipality of Emilia-Romagna
Emilia-Romagna
Emilia–Romagna is an administrative region of Northern Italy comprising the two historic regions of Emilia and Romagna. The capital is Bologna; it has an area of and about 4.4 million inhabitants....
, which was then Bolognese territory. The two city states engaged in battle at the Battle of Zappolino
Battle of Zappolino
The Battle of Zappolino was fought in November 1325 between forces representing the Italian towns of Bologna and Modena, an incident in the series of raids and reprisals between the two cities that were part of the larger conflicts of Guelphs and Ghibellines. The Modenesi were victorious...
, where the Modenese hammered the Bolognese, though both sides lost about 2,000 men. The war was a decisive Modenese victory over the Bolognese, and the bucket remained in Modenese hands. After the Battle of Campaldino
Battle of Campaldino
The Battle of Campaldino was a battle between the Guelphs and Ghibellines on 11 June 1289. Mixed bands of pro-papal Guelf forces of Florence and allies, Pistoia, Lucca, Siena and Prato, all loosely commanded by the paid condottiero Amerigo di Narbona with his own professional following, met a...
in 1289, the Ghibellines made a great comeback.
Background
In 1176, Frederick BarbarossaFrederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick I Barbarossa was a German Holy Roman Emperor. He was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March, crowned King of Italy in Pavia in 1155, and finally crowned Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV, on 18 June 1155, and two years later in 1157 the term...
was defeated at the Battle of Legnano
Battle of Legnano
The Battle of Legnano was fought on May 29, 1176, between the forces of the Holy Roman Empire, led by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, and the Lombard League.-The Lombard League:...
by the Lombard League
Lombard League
The Lombard League was an alliance formed around 1167, which at its apex included most of the cities of northern Italy , including, among others, Crema, Cremona, Mantua, Piacenza, Bergamo, Brescia, Milan, Genoa, Bologna, Padua, Modena, Reggio Emilia, Treviso, Venice, Vercelli, Vicenza, Verona,...
, which was a league that supported Pope Alexander III
Pope Alexander III
Pope Alexander III , born Rolando of Siena, was Pope from 1159 to 1181. He is noted in history for laying the foundation stone for the Notre Dame de Paris.-Church career:...
. This was the start of a long period in Medieval Italy, known as 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...
. From that year, the two opposing factions warred with each other. The town of Modena
Modena
Modena is a city and comune on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy....
was a staunch supporter of the Holy Roman Empire
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 pledged to be a Ghibelline city. The northern city 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,...
was a Guelph city, and it was led by the Popes due to its support for them. When a couple of Modenese soldiers snuck into Bologna's town center, they stole a civic bucket filled with loot and returned to Modena
Modena
Modena is a city and comune on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy....
. The humiliated Bolognese declared war on Modena.
Battle of Zappolino
Pope John XXII
Pope John XXII , born Jacques Duèze , was pope from 1316 to 1334. He was the second Pope of the Avignon Papacy , elected by a conclave in Lyon assembled by Philip V of France...
led the Bolognese, due to being the headman of the Guelphs. He attacked Passerino Bonacolsi's troops near Zappolino. He had 2,000 cavalry and 30,000 infantry on the battlefield. Bonacolsi had about 2,000 cavalry and 5,000 infantry opposed to Pope John's Army. Zappolino in the modern-day Province of Bologna
Province of Bologna
The Province of Bologna is a province in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Bologna.-Geography:It has an area of 3,702 km², and a total population of 991,647 . There are 60 comuni in the province, see Comuni of the Province of Bologna...
, and it was fought on Bolognese soil. The two forces both engaged in battle, and both sides together lost 2,000 men. The Modenese won the battle, and thus they were able to keep the bucket and the ability to remain a Ghibelline state. The story of the Battle of Zappolino
Battle of Zappolino
The Battle of Zappolino was fought in November 1325 between forces representing the Italian towns of Bologna and Modena, an incident in the series of raids and reprisals between the two cities that were part of the larger conflicts of Guelphs and Ghibellines. The Modenesi were victorious...
was recorded in Alessandro Tassoni
Alessandro Tassoni
Alessandro Tassoni was an Italian poet and writer.- Life :He was born in Modena, to a noble family. In 1597, he began his service for the cardinal Colonna whom he followed to Spain. In 1603 he was back in Italy and moved to Rome.In 1612 he published anonymously the booklet Le Filippiche in which...
's poem La Secchia Rapita
La secchia rapita
La secchia rapita is a mock-heroic epic poem by Alessandro Tassoni based on the real-life event of the same name, War of the Oaken Bucket was first published in 1622 . It tells of a war between the Italian cities of Modena and Bologna over the possession of a wooden bucket...
. Bologna was destroyed, and Ghibelline power had made a drastic rise.
Aftermath
The Bucket was stored in the Torre della GhirlandinaTorre della Ghirlandina
The Torre della Ghirlandina or simply Ghirlandina is the bell tower of the Cathedral of Modena, in Emilia-Romagna, Italy.Standing at 86.12 metres, the tower is the traditional symbol of Modena, being visible from all directions outside the city....
, in Modena
Modena
Modena is a city and comune on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy....
, where it stays today. in After the war, Ghibelline power had risen up more, but the wars weren't over. In 1447, the Ghibellines had encountered failures when the Ambrosian Republic
Ambrosian Republic
The Golden Ambrosian Republic was a short-lived government founded in Milan by members of the University of Pavia with popular support...
was created and broke down. The wars of the Guelphs and Ghibellines would continue until the year 1529, when Charles I of Spain
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...
seized Imperial power in Italy during the Italian Wars
Italian Wars
The Italian Wars, often referred to as the Great Italian Wars or the Great Wars of Italy and sometimes as the Habsburg–Valois Wars, were a series of conflicts from 1494 to 1559 that involved, at various times, most of the city-states of Italy, the Papal States, most of the major states of Western...
. The two sides had to break it apart, and they went to peace with each other.