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Battle of Ravenna: French forces under Gaston de Foix defeat the Holy League in a major battle of the Italian Wars

The Battle of Ravenna, fought on 11 April 1512, was a major battle of the War of the League of Cambrai.

The Battle of Ravenna, fought on 11 April 1512, was a major battle of the War of the League of Cambrai. It saw a Spanish-Papal army under Viceroy of Naples Ramón de Cardona (the Holy League) defeated by France and their Ferrarese allies under Gaston of Foix, who was killed during the battle.

The battle was exceptionally bloody and saw both sides making a previously unseen usage of artillery. Although the Spanish artillery inflicted massive casualties, Ferrarese general Alfonso d'Este initiated a decisive French flanking of the Holy League with their own guns, hitting the exposed enemy cavalry and making their line collapse. The Spanish infantry repulsed a first French advance, but, with the cavalry routed, the Holy League army was ultimately surrounded and defeated.

Historical Significance

The Battle of Ravenna, fought on 11 April 1512, was a major battle of the War of the League of Cambrai.

Events Before

  1. Jews are expelled from Colmar, Alsace

    Jews are expelled from Colmar, Alsace

  2. Italian city Mirandola surrenders to the French

    The siege of Mirandola took place from 2 January to 19 January 1511 as a part of Pope Julius II's campaign to keep France from dominating northern Italy during the War of the League of Cambrai.

  3. Portuguese troops occupy parts of Malacca

    Portuguese troops occupy parts of Malacca

  4. Eedgenootschap signs anti-French Saint League

    Eedgenootschap signs anti-French Saint League

  5. England, Spain and the Holy Roman Empire sign anti-French covenant The Treaty of Westminster

    England, Spain and the Holy Roman Empire sign anti-French covenant The Treaty of Westminster

Events After

  1. Spaniard Juan Ponce de León and his expedition first sight Florida

    Juan Ponce de León (1474 – July 1521) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador known for leading the first official European expedition to Puerto Rico in 1508 and Florida in 1513.

  2. Explorer Juan Ponce de León claims Florida for Spain as the first known European to reach it

    Juan Ponce de León (1474 – July 1521) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador known for leading the first official European expedition to Puerto Rico in 1508 and Florida in 1513.

  3. Battle of the Spurs at Guinegate (now Enguinegatte): King Henry VIII of England and Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I defe

    Battle of the Spurs at Guinegate (now Enguinegatte): King Henry VIII of England and Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I defeat French forces, capturing the town and routing the French cavalry

  4. Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa crosses the Isthmus of Panama, becoming the first European to see the Pacific Oce

    Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa crosses the Isthmus of Panama, becoming the first European to see the Pacific Ocean

  5. Battle of Novara, the War of the League of Cambrai: the Swiss Confederacy defeat the French

    The Battle of Novara was a battle of the War of the League of Cambrai fought on 6 June 1513, near Novara, in Northern Italy. A French attacking force was routed by allied Milanese–Swiss troops.

More from the 1510s

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Louis XII dies

Louis XII dies

Hernán Cortés leaves Cuba for the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, with 11 ships and 500 men

Hernán Cortés leaves Cuba for the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, with 11 ships and 500 men

Spaniard Juan Ponce de León and his expedition first sight Florida

Juan Ponce de León (1474 – July 1521) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador known for leading the first official European expedition to Puerto Rico in 1508 and Florida in 1513.

Venice compels Jews to live in a specific area, establishing the first Jewish ghetto, in the city's the Cannaregio distr

Venice compels Jews to live in a specific area, establishing the first Jewish ghetto, in the city's the Cannaregio district.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on April 11, 1512?
The Battle of Ravenna, fought on 11 April 1512, was a major battle of the War of the League of Cambrai. It saw a Spanish-Papal army under Viceroy of Naples Ramón de Cardona (the Holy League) defeated by France and their Ferrarese allies under Gaston of Foix, who was killed during the battle. The battle was exceptionally bloody and saw both sides making a previously unseen usage of artillery.
Why is Battle of Ravenna: French forces under Gaston de Foix defeat the Holy League ... significant?
The Battle of Ravenna, fought on 11 April 1512, was a major battle of the War of the League of Cambrai.

Explore More

April 11 in HistoryYear 1512