Siege of Treviso

The Siege of Treviso was a war event in October 1511 of the War of the League of Cambrai, fought in 1511 between the Venetians and the Franco–Imperial troops.

Siege of Treviso
Part of War of the League of Cambrai
Date 8–15 October 1511 Location Treviso, Italy Result Venetian victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of France Supported by : Holy Roman Empire	Republic of Venice
Commanders and leaders
Jacques de La Palice Emperor Maximilian I	Renzo da Ceri Vitello Vitelli
Strength
Kingdom of France : 5,000 infantry 200 lances Holy Roman Empire : 12,000 men 70 pieces of artillery	3,520 men 228 stradiotti 46 bombardiers

Background

After the heavy defeat suffered at Agnadello at the hands of the forces of the League of Cambrai (1508), the Republic of Venice feared its imminent end, releasing the Venetian cities from the pact of loyalty and allowing them to open their doors to the League allies, in order to avoid sacking.

The only city that refused to submit to Maximilian of Habsburg was Treviso, which reconfirmed its loyalty to Venice on 10 June 1509 and, -not without reason- , many historians place the recovery of Venice after Agnadello starting from this date. In fact, it was from Treviso, that the expedition, led by Andrea Gritti, departed for the Relief of Padua (17 July 1509), a city that the League allies failed to reconquer after having placed it under siege.

Treviso, capital of the March of Treviso, represented the last Venetian bastion that separated France and the Empire from the Venetian Lagoon. For this reason, already in 1509, the Council of Ten had entrusted the fortification works of Treviso to the very famous Veronese architect Giovanni Giocondo. In addition to the construction of imposing bastion walls and the diversion of part of the Botteniga river, the new defensive constructions in Treviso also involved the demolition of part of the ancient sanctuary of the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore.

The garrison placed in defense of Treviso was placed under the command of the general commissioner Giovanni Paolo Gradenigo, while the besieging army was gathered under the orders of the French aristocrat Jacques de La Palice.

Prelude

The March of Treviso was invaded in the summer of 1511, with a series of conquests of cities in the territory, such as Asolo, Belluno, Castelfranco Veneto, Feltre and Montebelluna. However, the Franco-Imperials were unable to easily reach Treviso, continually postponing the attack due to discord between the French and the Germans, shortages of food and ammunition and the deaths of soldiers due to fevers that were ravaging the territory.

To unblock the situation, on 14 September Jacques de La Palice decided to move the camp from Montebelluna to Nervesa, lodging in the ancient Abbey of Sant'Eustachio with the approval of the Counts of Collalto, who secretly supplied the Franco-Imperials with provisions, also inviting La Palice and his commanders to lunch in their Castle of San Salvatore, during which he complained about his German allies. Between 26 and 27 September, La Palice, after having sent an ultimatum to the German troops in Friuli, moved the camp again from Nervesa to Torre di Maserada, not without first having given a show of strength in Treviso, appearing on parade with three squadrons within crossbow shot range under its walls, specifically at Porta San Tomaso and Porta Santi Quaranta. The besieged responded immediately by sending against La Palice all the Stratioti and crossbowmen of Vitello Vitelli's company. A particularly bloody clash between the third squadron of French gendarmes and the stratioti persuaded the marshal to transfer the camp to Breda di Piave for the umpteenth time.

On 5 October the Holy League was proclaimed in Rome, in the Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo, a new alliance between Pope Julius II and the Republic of Venice, Ferdinand II of Aragon and the Swiss cantons ( Henry VIII of England joined the following month). The pontiff, who had already reconciled with Venice on 24 February 1510, had finally realised how much he had favoured the growth of the political influence of France in the Italian peninsula, which now threatened his possessions in Romagna. In particular following the occupation of Bologna by the French in May 1511, a fact which had temporarily favoured the return of the deposed Annibale II Bentivoglio, as well as the confirmed alliance between Louis XII and Alfonso I d'Este.

Siege

On 8 October, the siege proper began: the city was defended by a total of 4,554 men, supported by artillery positioned on the bastions, at the gates, and in the communication trenches, and a six-man defensive position was even placed on the bell tower of the Church of San Nicolò. Vitello Vitelli's light cavalry and the stradioti conducted night raids to capture enemy supplies. The harassed Franco-Imperials then committed the imprudence of sacking the Treviso lazaret, located outside the walls, consequently infecting a large part of the camp. On 10 October another downpour broke out which prevented the besiegers from moving their artillery and on 12 October the Venetians began both day and night to target the Germans and French camped along the Sile river, the latter soon running out of gunpowder and cannonballs.
A few days earlier, in fact, the local Piave raftsmen, forced against their will to transport troops and armaments for the French-Imperials who were preparing the siege of Treviso, as an act of sabotage, had sunk their own boats in a bend of the river near Montello, together with the enemy and his weapons. This act of heroism was rewarded by the Venetian government with the gift of a gold medal "with the imprint of San Marco" to the relatives and orphans of the deceased and the allocation of some lands.

The turning point came on 13 October: the Franco-Imperials intercepted a Venetian courier, heading to Treviso to bring the news of the newly formed Holy League with the Pope and Spain. These letters left La Palice and his commanders" very astonished and frightened", except Mercurio Bua, who actually confided to one of his prisoners:" now we will see and truly know if we will all be friends, but I believe that Maximian will also join the (Holy) League", and in fact, although Maximilian had kept himself aloof for the time being, he would join the Holy League in 1512.
Treviso's General commissioner Gian Paolo Gradenigo, to further frighten the besiegers, gave the order to ring the bells in celebration and to prepare a procession, decorating the Palazzo dei Trecento with tapestries and banners. Palice, demoralized by the continuing and huge losses of men and artillery, gave the order to cease fire and decreed that the city was too well fortified and therefore impregnable.

On 14 October the Franco-Imperials lifted the siege, under the watchful eye of Constantine Palaeologus' crossbowmen, so that they would not disperse throughout the territory. On 15 October Treviso officially emerged victorious from the battle.

See also

• Battle of Agnadello
• Siege of Padua

Bibliography

• Bonacina, Giovanni (2011). "Luca, Carlo e Marco alla guerra della Lega di Cambrai". Un evento miracoloso durante la guerra di Cambrai, 27 settembre 1511. Venice: Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti. pp. 159–230. ISBN 978-8895996387.

• Netto, Giovanni (2000). "Itinerario V. La città medievale". Guida di Treviso: La città, la storia, la cultura e l'arte. Ronchi dei Legionari: LINT Editoriale Associati.

• Netto, Lorenzo (1980). Da Castelnuovo di Quero alla Madonna Grande di Treviso. Milan: Istituto Propaganda Libraria.

• Rossetto, Sante (2020). Il baluardo della Serenissima. Treviso: Edizioni Canova. ISBN 978-8884093141.

• Sanudo, Marin (1886) [1516]. Barozzi, N. (ed.). Diarii. Vol. 12–13. Venice: F. Visentini.