Piero Strozzi facts for kids
Piero Strozzi (born around 1510, died June 21, 1558) was an Italian military leader. He came from the very rich Florentine family known as the Strozzi.
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Piero Strozzi's Early Life and Family
Piero Strozzi was born in Florence, Italy. His father was Filippo Strozzi the Younger, and his mother was Clarice de' Medici.
Even though Piero married a woman from the Medici family, Laudomia di Pierfrancesco, he was a strong opponent of the main Medici family line. He fought alongside his father and other Florentine exiles from France. Their goal was to remove the Medici family from power in Florence. However, after their defeat at the Battle of Montemurlo, Piero had to escape to France. He found a place at the court of Catherine de' Medici.
Military Career and Key Battles
Serving the French King
Piero Strozzi served France during the Italian War of 1542. He gathered an army of Italian mercenaries, who were soldiers paid to fight. His army faced forces from the Holy Roman Empire and Spanish Empire at the Battle of Serravalle. Strozzi's army was defeated in this battle.
In 1548, he went to Scotland. He was there to help Mary of Guise on behalf of the French King Henry II. This was during a war known as the Rough Wooing. While in Scotland, he helped design strong defenses (fortifications) against the English army. These defenses were built at places like Leith and Haddington.
During the fighting at Haddington, Strozzi was shot in the leg by an arquebus, which was an early type of gun. Even with his injury, he continued to oversee the building of defenses at Leith. He was carried around in a chair by four workers. Strozzi also helped design defenses at Dunbar Castle.
Defending Mirandola and Siena
In 1551, Piero Strozzi successfully defended the city of Mirandola against papal troops. This happened during the War of Parma. Because of his military skills, he was named a Marshal of France in 1554. This was a very high military rank.
Later, he fought to defend the Republic of Siena against Cosimo de' Medici. Strozzi led a French army in this fight. He won a difficult victory at Pontedera on June 11, 1554. This kind of victory is called a pyrrhic victory, meaning it came at a great cost.
However, his army could not get help from the ships of his brother, Leone Strozzi. Leone had been killed by an arquebus shot near Castiglione della Pescaia. Piero Strozzi was forced to retreat to Pistoia. On August 2, his army was defeated at the Battle of Marciano. This defeat meant the end of Siena's independence.
Final Years and Legacy
In 1556, Piero Strozzi was put in charge of the army of the Papal States. He also became the lord of Épernay. In 1558, he joined a military operation under the command of Francis, Duke of Guise. They were involved in the siege of Thionville (1558), which was near Metz in Lorraine.
Piero Strozzi died there on June 21, 1558, from wounds he received during the siege.
He is often given credit for inventing the dragoon military specialty. Dragoons were soldiers who rode horses but fought on foot using arquebuses.
His son, Filippo, also became a military commander. His brother, Leone Strozzi, was a Knight of Malta and was known as the Prior of Capua.
Images for kids
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Portrait of Piero Strozzi by Workshop of François Clouet
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Portrait of Piero Strozzi by Anonymous artist
