Battle of Serravalle (1544) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Serravalle
Part of the Italian War of 1542–1546
Date 2–4 June 1544 Location Serravalle Scrivia, Apennine Mountains Result Imperial-Spanish victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of France Italian mercenaries	Empire of Charles V: Spain Holy Roman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Pietro Strozzi	Alfonso d'Avalos

The Battle of Serravalle was an important fight that happened from June 2 to 4, 1544. It took place in a mountain area called Serravalle Scrivia in Italy. This battle was part of the Italian War of 1542–1546. The Imperial-Spanish army, led by Don Alfonso d'Avalos, fought against a French-supported Italian army. This Italian army was made up of new mercenary soldiers. They were led by Pietro Strozzi, who came from a famous family in Florence, and Giovan Francesco Orsini.

Why did the Battle of Serravalle happen?

Even though the Imperial-Spanish army had lost a big battle earlier at Ceresole, it didn't change the overall war much. The King of France, Francis I, wanted his army to keep fighting. He ordered them to continue the siege of Carignano.

What happened after the Battle of Ceresole?

After the city of Carignano finally gave up, King Francis I had to make a tough choice. The Emperor Charles V and King Henry VIII were planning to invade France. Because of this, King Francis I had to call most of his soldiers back home from Piedmont, a region in Italy. This meant that the French commander, Count of Enghien, didn't have enough troops to capture Milan.

The Spanish forces were smart. They held onto all the strong castles and towns in Lombardy, another region in Italy. This stopped the French army from winning any more battles there.

How did the Battle of Serravalle unfold?

The Marquis del Vasto by Titian.

The coat of arms of the famous Strozzi family from Florence.

Pietro Strozzi was an Italian military leader who worked for the French. He gathered a large army of over 10,000 soldiers near a town called Mirandola. Strozzi bravely marched his army towards Milan, hoping to meet up with the French commander, Count of Enghien, there.

Who fought in the battle?

However, from June 2 to 4, 1544, the Imperial-Spanish army, led by Don Alfonso d'Avalos, stopped Strozzi's army. They fought a big battle at Serravalle. The Imperial-Spanish forces won, completely defeating the Franco-Italian army led by Pietro Strozzi and the Count of Pitigliano.

What was the result of the battle?

Strozzi's army was completely destroyed. This victory gave the Spanish full control over the region of Lombardy. It also ended the French plan to capture the Duchy of Milan. The great French victory at Ceresole two months earlier ended up not helping them much in the long run.

What happened after the Battle of Serravalle?

The city of Milan stayed under the control of Emperor Charles V. By the end of the war, things in northern Italy went back to how they were before.

Invasion of France

In May, Emperor Charles V invaded France with two armies. One army, led by Ferrante Gonzaga, captured a city called Luxembourg. Then, they moved towards Commercy and Ligny. On July 8, Ferrante Gonzaga started a siege on Saint-Dizier. Soon after, the second army, led by Emperor Charles himself, joined him.

Meanwhile, King Henry VIII of England also sent a large army of about 40,000 soldiers to Calais. This English army was commanded by Thomas Howard and Charles Brandon.

See also

In Spanish: Batalla de Serravalle para niños

• List of battles of the Italian Wars
• Siege of St. Dizier
• Sieges of Boulogne (1544–1546)
• Italian Wars