Battle of Fornovo 6 July 1495 – Benedetti Order of Battle

The Battle of Fornovo (6 July 1495) of the Italian Wars. The orders of battle are based on Benedetti (1967).

Setting: Fornovo, Italy; 6 July 1495

Venetian Order of Battle

Venetians

  • Line 1
    • 600 Stradiots (Pietro Duodo)
  • Line 2
    • 510 Italian Men-at-Arms (Ranuccio Farnese & Luigi Avogadro)
  • Line 3 (Reserve)
    • 4000 Infantry (Gorlino of Ravenna)
  • Line 4
    • 370 Men-at-Arms (Count Bernardino Fortebraccio)
    • 2000 Infantry (between line 4 and 5)
  • Line 5
    • 580 Men-at-Arms (Count Giovanni Francesco of Caiazzo)
  • Line 6 (Reserve)
    • 255 Soldiers (Alessandro Colleoni & Taddeo dalla Motella)
  • Line 7
    • 465 Men-at-Arms (Count Gianfrancesco of Gambara)
  • Line 8 (Camp Guard)
    • 280 Men-at-Arms (Carlo of Pian di Meleto)
  • Line 9
    • 400 Light horsemen
    • Crossbowmen
    • Handgunners (scorpion)
  • Artillery

French Order of Battle

French

  • First Battle (Gian Giacomo Trivulzio)
    • 300 Horsemen (men-at-arms)
    • 200 Light armed soldiers – not arrow bearers
    • 2000 Germans
    • 1750 Pikemen
    • 250 Handgunners
    • 21 Pieces of artillery
  • Main Battle (King Charles VIII of France)
    • 600 Horsemen
    • 2700 Mtd Crossbowmen
    • (3400 ?) Germans
    • 2975 Pikemen
    • 425 Handgunners
    • 21 Pieces of artillery
  • Third Battle (Francesco Secco)
    • 400 Horsemen
    • 1000 foot soldiers
    • 400 Crossbowmen (?)
    • (600 Germans ?)
    • 525 Pikemen
    • 75 Handgunners

References

Benedetti, A. (1967). Diaria de bello Carolino: Diary of the Caroline War (D. M. Schullian, Trans.). New York: Frederick Ungar. (Original work published 1496).

Wikipedia: Battle of Fornovo

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