Strategic situation:
In 1552, the population of Siena expelled the Spanish garrison and asks for
support to king of France. Happy to find a new ally in Italy, France sent
money, troops and weapons to the new authorise of the republic of Siena.
In 1553, the emperor and Spanish king Charles V signed an offensive alliance
with the Duck of Tuscany. In January 1554, the Tuscan leader sent an army
of 9 000 men, under Giacomo dei Medici, Marquis of Marignano to siege Siena
defended by Piero Strozzi. During several months a small war of ambush and
skirmish took place between the two armies to control the approaches of the
city. With the arrival of imperial troops (Spanish and German infantery)
the balance went to the Marquis of Marignano which was able to reinforce
the struggle around the city. Strozzi had to find a solution to improve his
line of communication and the 11 of June 1554, the army of Siena moved to
welcome reinforcement from the French and managed to take some food to supply
the city. At the beginning of July (8 and 9 of July) a new French reinforcement
under Blaise de Monluc arrived but Strozzi failed to take the important
harbour of Piombino. The 17 of July, Strozzi decided to make a new movement
with 14 000 men, this time the objective was to distract the army of Tuscany
and to launch a raid toward the Valdichiana in Tuscany and to plumber the
villages and crop fields around the city of Arezzo.
The 20 of July Strozzi started the siege of Arezzo but the arrival of 3000 foots from Rome gave the advantage to the defenders and the army of Siena had to leave the siege. Finally the 22 of July, the Marquis of Marignano decided to pursuit Strozzi’s army. During one week the Sienese army plundered the villages near Arezzo, taking the burg of Foiano della Chiana with 10 000 corn’s bags. By the end of July, French scouts detected the arrival of the imperial army in the area and Strozzi took a defensive position around the village of Marciano. During 3 days the two armies faced each other: Strozzi had a good position but, lack of money and lack of food forced him to take the initiative. During the night of the 1 of august Strozzi decided to move his army from his position to the village of Lucignano and at first sent back his artillery. The 2 of august, the core of Strozzi’s army started to move at 10:00 am, the movement was made in front of the imperial troops and quickly Marignano ordered a full advance of his troops. Two hours later Spanish harquebusiers were already skirmishing with the French rearguard, the manoeuvre had failed and Strozzi decided to deployed his army in a battle formation at the south of the ditch of Scannagallo, Marignano would do the same on the opposite front
.
ORBAT of the Imperial – Tuscan Army
This army was commended by Gian Giacomo dei Medici, Marques de Marignano and was deployed as follow
The right wing had 4000 – 5000 foots from Tuscany and others Italians state deployed in 2 squadrons commanded by the Count of Popoli and Juan de Manrique.
The centre regroup the core of the imperial army with a strong squadron of 3 500 - 4 000 German foots (2 regiments) commanded by Niccolò Mandruzzo, followed on the left by 2 Spanish squadrons, the first had 2 000 men made of companies of the Tercio of Sicilia and the Tercio of Napoles and was commanded by Francisco de Haro, the second one had 1 200 men and was made by the Tercio of Corcega reinforced by free companies of Corsican soldiers and commanded by Lorenzo Juarez de Figueroa.
The left wing regroup all the cavalry, 2 squadrons of light cavalry commanded ny the Count of Sforza di Santafiora and the Count of Nuvolara and behind them a squadrons of 300 men at arms (Heavy cavalry) commanded by Marcantonio Colonna.
To finish Marignano had also a battery of 4 guns on the right, a reserve of 200 Spanish harquebusiers and a company of Neapolitan horse harquebusier. The Roman infantry under Camillo Colonna form a rearguard but did not participate in the battle. In total we have some 12 000 – 13 000 foots and 1 300 horses.
ORBAT of the French-Sienese Army
This army was commended by Piero Strozzi and was deployed as follow:
The right wing regroup the cavalry with 2 squadrons of 500 horsemen commanded the Count of Mirandola and by Lodovico Borgonovo.
The centre regroup the core of the army with, in first line, a squadrons of 3 000 German foots (10 companies) commanded by Georg Reckenrot and a squadron of 2500 French foots (14 companies) commanded by the Lord of Velleron, in second line a squadron of 2 500 Swiss from the Grison (10 companies) commanded by the Baron of Fourquevaux.
On the left wing, facing the Tuscan infantry, we find 15 to 20 companies of the Italian infantry of Siena with probably 4 000 foots deployed in a squadron commanded by Paolo Orsini, Count of Caiazzo. As we said before Strozzi sent back his artillery to Lucignano with the crops bag found in Foiano della Chiana.
In total we find some 12 000 foots and 1 000 horses.
A) Around 11:00 in the morning, Marignano launched his cavalry to test the resistance of the enemy. The attack succeeds brilliantly and in less than 30 minutes Strozzi’s cavalry was wiped out from the battlefield. The remain of the Sienese cavalry fled away, toward the village of Fiona della Chiana.
B) Seeing the victory of the imperial horses, the artillery of Marignano opened a deadly fire on the compact mass of infantry, especially on the Swiss squadron.
C) In less than one hour, Strozzi situation passed from critical to desperate, his cavalry had disappeared and the imperial artillery had the advantage. In order to save the day, he decided to launch a massive attack on Marignano’s position. Firstly the Germans of Georg Reckenrot attacked, followed by the French squadron on the left, they were met by the two Spanish Tercios and the Imperial troops of Niccolò Mandruzzo. The fighting was terrible and the decision was unbalanced.
D) Meantime, the imperial heavy cavalry and part of the light cavalry turned to the right and attacked the rear and the flank of the Swiss squadrons. Disturbed by the artillery fire and in a moving position, the Swiss made a poor resistance and abandoned the battlefield.
E) Marignano’s horsemen continued their attack and charged the rear of Landsknecht squadron of Reckenrot. Attacked from the front, flank and rear the German squadron was destroyed and the survivors had to leave the battlefield.
F) The Imperial’s troops and the infantry of Tuscany attacked the rest of Strozzi’s troops. The French squadron was destroyed after a gallant resistance and the Italian troops withdrew in great disorder in front of numerical superior enemy. At 1:00 PM the last resistance of the Franco – sienese army was overrule and the Marquis of Marignano could complete his victory.
Balance: In two hours, the field army of the republic of Siena was destroyed losing some 4 000 dead and 1 700 prisoners for 200 dead and 300-400 wounded and deserters for the imperial. The siege of Siena could resume and after a gallant resistance in hopeless situation, the city of Siena capitulated the 17 of April 1555. Most of the territory of Siena was annexed by the Duchy of Tuscany. The Spanish remains with some strategic positions, Orbetello, Port’Ercole ant Talamone on the coast and Porto Longone on the Elbe island, they were called, los presidios Toscanos.
Short Bibliography
Blaise de Monluc, Commentaires Collection BNF-Gallica
Sir Charles Oman A history of the Art of War in the Sixteenth Century, Greenhill Books, London 1987
La battaglia de Scannagallo, edizioni Scramasax Firenze 2004
The 20 of July Strozzi started the siege of Arezzo but the arrival of 3000 foots from Rome gave the advantage to the defenders and the army of Siena had to leave the siege. Finally the 22 of July, the Marquis of Marignano decided to pursuit Strozzi’s army. During one week the Sienese army plundered the villages near Arezzo, taking the burg of Foiano della Chiana with 10 000 corn’s bags. By the end of July, French scouts detected the arrival of the imperial army in the area and Strozzi took a defensive position around the village of Marciano. During 3 days the two armies faced each other: Strozzi had a good position but, lack of money and lack of food forced him to take the initiative. During the night of the 1 of august Strozzi decided to move his army from his position to the village of Lucignano and at first sent back his artillery. The 2 of august, the core of Strozzi’s army started to move at 10:00 am, the movement was made in front of the imperial troops and quickly Marignano ordered a full advance of his troops. Two hours later Spanish harquebusiers were already skirmishing with the French rearguard, the manoeuvre had failed and Strozzi decided to deployed his army in a battle formation at the south of the ditch of Scannagallo, Marignano would do the same on the opposite front
.
ORBAT of the Imperial – Tuscan Army
This army was commended by Gian Giacomo dei Medici, Marques de Marignano and was deployed as follow
The right wing had 4000 – 5000 foots from Tuscany and others Italians state deployed in 2 squadrons commanded by the Count of Popoli and Juan de Manrique.
The centre regroup the core of the imperial army with a strong squadron of 3 500 - 4 000 German foots (2 regiments) commanded by Niccolò Mandruzzo, followed on the left by 2 Spanish squadrons, the first had 2 000 men made of companies of the Tercio of Sicilia and the Tercio of Napoles and was commanded by Francisco de Haro, the second one had 1 200 men and was made by the Tercio of Corcega reinforced by free companies of Corsican soldiers and commanded by Lorenzo Juarez de Figueroa.
The left wing regroup all the cavalry, 2 squadrons of light cavalry commanded ny the Count of Sforza di Santafiora and the Count of Nuvolara and behind them a squadrons of 300 men at arms (Heavy cavalry) commanded by Marcantonio Colonna.
To finish Marignano had also a battery of 4 guns on the right, a reserve of 200 Spanish harquebusiers and a company of Neapolitan horse harquebusier. The Roman infantry under Camillo Colonna form a rearguard but did not participate in the battle. In total we have some 12 000 – 13 000 foots and 1 300 horses.
ORBAT of the French-Sienese Army
This army was commended by Piero Strozzi and was deployed as follow:
The right wing regroup the cavalry with 2 squadrons of 500 horsemen commanded the Count of Mirandola and by Lodovico Borgonovo.
The centre regroup the core of the army with, in first line, a squadrons of 3 000 German foots (10 companies) commanded by Georg Reckenrot and a squadron of 2500 French foots (14 companies) commanded by the Lord of Velleron, in second line a squadron of 2 500 Swiss from the Grison (10 companies) commanded by the Baron of Fourquevaux.
On the left wing, facing the Tuscan infantry, we find 15 to 20 companies of the Italian infantry of Siena with probably 4 000 foots deployed in a squadron commanded by Paolo Orsini, Count of Caiazzo. As we said before Strozzi sent back his artillery to Lucignano with the crops bag found in Foiano della Chiana.
In total we find some 12 000 foots and 1 000 horses.
A) Around 11:00 in the morning, Marignano launched his cavalry to test the resistance of the enemy. The attack succeeds brilliantly and in less than 30 minutes Strozzi’s cavalry was wiped out from the battlefield. The remain of the Sienese cavalry fled away, toward the village of Fiona della Chiana.
B) Seeing the victory of the imperial horses, the artillery of Marignano opened a deadly fire on the compact mass of infantry, especially on the Swiss squadron.
C) In less than one hour, Strozzi situation passed from critical to desperate, his cavalry had disappeared and the imperial artillery had the advantage. In order to save the day, he decided to launch a massive attack on Marignano’s position. Firstly the Germans of Georg Reckenrot attacked, followed by the French squadron on the left, they were met by the two Spanish Tercios and the Imperial troops of Niccolò Mandruzzo. The fighting was terrible and the decision was unbalanced.
D) Meantime, the imperial heavy cavalry and part of the light cavalry turned to the right and attacked the rear and the flank of the Swiss squadrons. Disturbed by the artillery fire and in a moving position, the Swiss made a poor resistance and abandoned the battlefield.
E) Marignano’s horsemen continued their attack and charged the rear of Landsknecht squadron of Reckenrot. Attacked from the front, flank and rear the German squadron was destroyed and the survivors had to leave the battlefield.
F) The Imperial’s troops and the infantry of Tuscany attacked the rest of Strozzi’s troops. The French squadron was destroyed after a gallant resistance and the Italian troops withdrew in great disorder in front of numerical superior enemy. At 1:00 PM the last resistance of the Franco – sienese army was overrule and the Marquis of Marignano could complete his victory.
Balance: In two hours, the field army of the republic of Siena was destroyed losing some 4 000 dead and 1 700 prisoners for 200 dead and 300-400 wounded and deserters for the imperial. The siege of Siena could resume and after a gallant resistance in hopeless situation, the city of Siena capitulated the 17 of April 1555. Most of the territory of Siena was annexed by the Duchy of Tuscany. The Spanish remains with some strategic positions, Orbetello, Port’Ercole ant Talamone on the coast and Porto Longone on the Elbe island, they were called, los presidios Toscanos.
Short Bibliography
Blaise de Monluc, Commentaires Collection BNF-Gallica
Sir Charles Oman A history of the Art of War in the Sixteenth Century, Greenhill Books, London 1987
La battaglia de Scannagallo, edizioni Scramasax Firenze 2004