Battle of Seminara (1503) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Seminara
Part of the Third Italian War
Date 21 April 1503 Location Near Seminara and Gioia Tauro (present-day Italy) Result Spanish victory
Belligerents
France	Spain
Commanders and leaders
Bérault Stuart d'Aubigny	Fernando de Andrade
Strength
4,500 infantry 900 cavalry	4,000 infantry 800 cavalry

The Battle of Seminara of 1503 was a big fight that happened on April 21, 1503. It took place near the towns of Seminara and Gioia Tauro in Calabria, which is now part of Italy. This battle was part of the Third Italian War.

The battle was fought between French soldiers led by Bérault Stuart d'Aubigny and a Spanish army. The Spanish forces were commanded by Fernando de Andrade.

Why did the Battle of Seminara happen?

In November 1500, two powerful kings made a secret deal. Louis XII of France and Ferdinand II of Aragon signed the Treaty of Granada. They agreed to divide the Kingdom of Naples between them. This was a problem because Frederick of Naples, who was Ferdinand's cousin, was the king of Naples at the time.

How the War Started

In 1501, a French army, led by d'Aubigny, attacked Naples from the north. At the same time, a Spanish army, led by Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, took control of the southern part of the kingdom. King Frederick was removed from power. His kingdom was then split between France and Spain, just as the secret treaty said.

However, the French and Spanish armies soon started to argue. They disagreed over who owned certain areas that were between their controlled lands. By June 1502, these disagreements turned into a full-scale war.

The French army was larger and split into two main groups. The French leader in Naples, Louis d'Armagnac, Duke of Nemours, stayed in Apulia. He was trying to capture Fernández de Córdoba in Barletta. Meanwhile, d'Aubigny chased the Spanish forces of Hugo de Cardona and Manuel de Benavides in Calabria.

Coat of arms of Bérault Stuart d'Aubigny.

What happened during the Battle of Seminara?

In February 1503, a Spanish fleet sailed from Cartagena, Spain. This fleet was bringing more soldiers to help Fernández de Córdoba in southern Italy. There were 40 ships carrying 600 cavalry (soldiers on horseback) and 2,000 infantry (soldiers on foot).

Spanish Reinforcements Arrive

The Spanish fleet was led by Luis Portocarrero. It arrived in Messina, Sicily, on March 5. Sadly, Portocarrero died soon after arriving. Fernando de Andrade then took over as the commander.

When d'Aubigny heard about the new Spanish soldiers, he quickly gathered his own troops. He had 200 cavalry and 800 infantry. He marched towards Terranova Sappo Minulio. He stopped the attack on Terranova and moved on to San Martino.

The Armies Meet

Meanwhile, Fernando de Andrade crossed over from Messina. He brought his troops together at Seminara. After some talks, the French and Spanish leaders agreed to fight on Friday, April 21. On that day, both armies met in the middle, between Seminara and Gioia Tauro. In the battle that followed, the Spanish army defeated the French. The French soldiers had to retreat north, with the Spanish chasing them.

What were the results of the Battle of Seminara?

After their defeat, d'Aubigny and the soldiers he had left were trapped. They were surrounded in Castel Angitola. About a month later, d'Aubigny was forced to give up. He was taken as a prisoner to Castel Nuovo.

This French defeat meant that Calabria came under Spanish control. Just one week after this battle, Fernández de Córdoba would defeat the French again. That battle happened at Cerignola in Apulia.

See also

In Spanish: Batalla de Seminara (1503) para niños