Battle of Villabuona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Villabuona |
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| Part of Thirty Years' War and of the War of the Mantuan Succession | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Holy Roman Empire |
 Republic of Venice Kingdom of France |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Matthias Gallas | Duc de Candale Zaccaria Sagredo Ludovico Vimercati Chevalier de la Valette (POW) |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 10,000 troops | 17,500 troops | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 400 killed and wounded | 4,000 killed, 500 captured | ||||||
The Battle of Villabuona was a big fight that happened on May 29, 1630. It took place in a small village called Villabona, which is in Lombardy, Italy. This battle was part of two larger wars: the Thirty Years' War and the War of the Mantuan Succession.
On one side was an army from the Holy Roman Empire, led by General Matthias Gallas. On the other side were combined forces from France and the Republic of Venice. These allied troops were led by Zaccaria Sagredo from Venice and the Duc de Candale from France.
The French and Venetian army was much larger, with about 17,500 soldiers. General Gallas had a smaller force of around 10,000 men. The allies hoped to stop the Imperial army from attacking the city of Mantua. However, Gallas and his soldiers won a major victory. This defeat was a huge setback for the French and Venetians. It meant that the city of Mantua was almost certain to fall, which it did later that year.
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Where the Armies Were
Before the battle, the French and Venetian army left Venetian land. They marched southwest to meet the Imperial army. The Imperial army was gathered near Goito, a town in the Duchy of Mantua. Goito was important because it controlled the road between Mantua and Verona. It also had a key crossing point on the Mincio river.
As the allied army got closer, their commanders decided to take over some nearby places. These included Villabuona, Marengo, and San Britio. A Venetian historian named Girolamo Brusoni said that the Chevalier de la Valette, who was the French commander's half-brother, took Marengo. The Venetian commander, Colonel Ludovico Vimercati, took Villabuona. He also started to dig trenches there to make it stronger.
Most of the French and Venetian forces, including the Duc de Candale and Zaccaria Sagredo, were still in Valeggio sul Mincio. This was the main market town in the area. The battle between the two armies began on May 29 while many allied troops were still there.
Venetians at Villabuona
The main fighting happened in and around Villabuona, where the Venetian soldiers were positioned. Historian Girolamo Brusoni said the Venetians dug trenches in Villabuona. However, another historian, Federico Amedei, disagreed. He said there were no real defenses, and Villabuona was just a small village.
A historian from Crema, Ludovico Canobio, gave a different description. He said Villabuona had a large farmhouse with walls and a courtyard. Colonel Vimercati, the Venetian commander, ordered his men to build some earth banks. They also made holes in the walls for muskets. Canobio also mentioned that three companies of Venetian light cavalry, called "cappelletti," arrived to help Vimercati just before the battle.
The Battle Begins
The first clash happened outside Villabuona. Some "Croats" from the Imperial army, who were scouting, met Venetian "cappelletti" cavalry. The "cappelletti" fought bravely against the Croats. However, they were outnumbered and soon ran into trouble.
French cavalry and Mantuan volunteers, led by the Chevalier de la Valette, arrived. This gave the "cappelletti" some relief. But eventually, the French and Venetian troops were pushed back. They had to retreat to their defensive positions inside the village of Villabuona.
Imperial troops then attacked the village. One account says that the Venetians fought off three attacks. But then, the Imperial army used a battery of six cannons. The cannons forced the Venetian soldiers to leave. Imperial forces took control of the village. During this fight, the Chevalier de la Valette was captured.
Another account says that the Chevalier de la Valette was captured when he tried to ride out of the fortified farmhouse. He was trying to meet up with more French and Venetian soldiers coming from Valeggio. His capture made the defenders lose hope. With heavy cannon fire and no help coming, the remaining French and Venetian soldiers had to retreat towards Valeggio. Colonel Vimercati managed to keep some order among the retreating Venetian infantry. Their musket fire kept the Imperial soldiers from chasing them too closely.
Later, Venetian forces from Valeggio tried to take back part of the village or help their trapped comrades. But this attempt failed. Imperial soldiers, firing muskets from the buildings they had just captured, drove the Venetian horsemen away.
Retreat from Valeggio
After losing Villabuona, the French and Venetian army decided to leave Valeggio on the morning of May 30. They wanted to find safety in Peschiera del Garda or other forts. But their retreat turned into a disaster. Imperial forces chased them, and General Gallas caught up with the allied army's rear guard.
Only a brave fight by the Duc de Candale's French soldiers saved the allied army from total destruction. However, this action led to most of the Duc de Candale's personal force being wiped out. One historian wrote that 4,000 "Venetians" were killed in the fighting. This number likely included French casualties too. He also said that 26 flags were captured, including four French flags. The Imperial army had far fewer losses, with less than 400 killed or wounded.
What Happened Next
After the battle, the Venetian government started an investigation. They looked into the actions of Zaccaria Sagredo, the Venetian commander. He was in charge of the Venetian forces and ordered the retreat from Valeggio. Sagredo was found guilty of bad conduct. He was sentenced to ten years in prison and banned from public office forever. However, this sentence was quickly changed. He was sent to live in the Venetian town of Šibenik instead. Sagredo was soon allowed to hold public office again and later became an important official in Padua.
