Battle of Pavia 24 Feb 1525

The Battle of Pavia (24 Feb 1525) in the Italian Wars.

Setting: Pavia, Italy; 24 Feb 1525

French Order of Battle

Actual composition (??):

French Order of Battle

  • 10,000 Swiss
  • 5,000 other Pikemen, probably all Landsknecht under Richard de la Pole.
  • 6,000 French and Italian arquebusiers
  • 1,200 Men-at-Arms
  • 2,000 light cavalry
  • 53 guns

About 28,000 in total. Of these about 8,000 were lost before the battle, as the Bande Nere (2,500) retired when Giovanni de Medici, their leader, was wounded, and as the Swiss-Grison contingent (2,000, 5,000 or 6,000) were recalled to defend their lands. The final armies were about equal in size.

Imperialist Order of Battle

Giono (1965) says 28,000 men in total, while at Lodi on 19th January:

Imperialist Order of Battle at Lodi 19 Jan 1525
Giono (1965)

  • 13,000 Landsknecht
  • 6,000 Spanish
  • 3,000 Italians
  • 800 Lances (4,800 Men-at-Arms)
  • 1,500 Light Cavalry
  • At least 16 guns at the battle

Probably lost 3,000 before the battle, due to poor food, disorganised supplies, disease, weather, desertion.

Oman (1987) gives the Imperialist order of march/battle as:

Imperialist Order of March/Battle
Oman (1987)

  • 2,000 pioneers with battering rams and picks
  • Italo-Spanish under Marquis del Vasto, mostly arquebusiers, some other infantry and 300 light horse.
  • Spanish under Pescara
  • Half the Cavalry
  • Main-battle under Viceroy Lannoy of German Landsknecht
  • Half the Cavalry – ‘Burgundian’ and Austrian under Ferrante Castriot
  • German Landsknechts under Charles de Bourbon
  • Italio-Spanish

And from Jones (1994)

Imperialist Order of Battle
Jones (1994) ??

  • del Vasto
    • 3,000 German and Spanish Handgunners
    • 300 Light Horse
  • Pescara
    • 5,000 Spanish
    • 2,400 Men-at-Arms
  • Lannoy
    • 6,000 German Landsknecht
    • 2,400 Men-at-Arms
    • 16 guns
  • Bourbon
    • 5,000 German Landsknechts
  • Rearguard
    • 3,000 Italians

References

Giono, J. (1965). The battle of Pavia: 24th February 1525 (A. E. Murch, Trans.). London: Peter Owen. (Original work published 1963).

Jones, M. N. (1994). “All is lost save honour”: The battle of Pavia, 24 February 1525. Wargames Illustrated, 81, pp. 21-24.

Oman, C. (1987). A History of the Art of War in the Sixteenth Century. Greenhill Books.

Phipps, J. (1994). The battle of Pavia: The Story of a demonstration game. Wargames Illustrated, 80, pp. 38-40.

Taylor, F. (1993). The art of war in Italy 1494-1529 (originally published 1921). Essex, UK: Partizan Press.

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