French Army Routed in Battle of Pavia

On this day the French army of King Francis I was virtually annihilated by the army of the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V in the decisive Battle of Pavia, just south of Milan in the north of Italy. The battle was the culmination of the Italian War of 1521-1526 which centred around the control of Lombardy in northern Italy. Francis I occupied Milan in 1524 and then laid siege to the city of Pavia, part of the Holy Roman Empire, in October with 26,000 troops. Charles V sent a relief force of 22,000 troops to break the siege. The battle was fought in the Visconti Park of Mirabello di Pavia, outside the city walls. In the four-hour battle, the French army was divided and defeated. Many of the chief nobles of France were killed, and others – including Francis I himself – were captured. Francis I remained a prisoner until the signing of the Treaty of Madrid in 1526.

Author: Tony

Born and raised in Malaysia between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Educated at Wycliffe College in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, England. Living in the foothills of Mount Etna since 1982 and teaching English at Catania University since 1987. View all posts by Tony