How Giovanni Gagliardo earned a reputation for moral integrity while fighting for France in the Italian Wars.
Giovanni Gagliardo (Giovanni Antonio Gagliardo) of Mirandola.
Death: 1556
| Year, Month | State, Comp. ventura | Opponent | Command | Area of Activity | Actions Undertaken and Other Salient Facts |
| 1551 | |||||
| Aug. | France | Papal States, Empire | Emilia | Takes part in the defense of Mirandola, besieged by the papal forces. With Giovanni Bartolomeo Bonini, he foils an ambush of 40 infantrymen near the castle: he attacks the adversaries and slaughters them because his policy is not to take prisoners. In the following days, leading some Italian and French light cavalry, he kills 10 papal soldiers and takes another 10 prisoners, surprising them outside the Mojachino fort, in Vigona. | |
| Sept. | Emilia | Raids many cattle being led to the papal camp; he ambushes the militias of Alessandro Vitelli who are trying to seize the livestock grazing at la Tagliata: 60 enemy men are killed; no one is taken prisoner. | |||
| Oct. | Emilia | He leaves with il Rizzolo and 22 horses to watch over the grazing livestock; in the subsequent clash with the papal forces, il Brozzo is killed with a dozen of his men, and Alessandro Vitelli‘s mount is also killed by a musket shot. Skirmishes with the adversaries are continuous. Mid-month, Giovanni Gagliardo raids with some Frenchmen up to the fort of Santa Giustina, discovers some infantry outside, and of these, twenty are killed while 22 are captured; he then surprises Piero Baldeschi outside the fort of Cividale and captures him, killing about 60 infantrymen from the Perugian captain’s company. He overcomes the trenches, enters the fortified camp, and seizes the pavilion and some flags. He also captures some gentlemen from Città di Castello near the fort of Sant’Andrea, who were out hunting with Alessandro Vitelli. | |||
| Dec. | Emilia | He moves to rescue a company of infantry that had left Mirandola to gather wood: in the melee, a dozen men are killed and a Spaniard is taken prisoner. Giovanni Gagliardo rushes to San Martino and kills another ten soldiers along with numerous peasants who are carrying beams to the fort: he has the oxen he cannot lead to Mirandola disemboweled with lances. He goes again to Santa Giustina and raids four pairs of oxen; the next day, with 50 horses, he surprises a company of infantry outside the fort of Cividale (ten enemies killed for the loss of one of his own light cavalrymen). | |||
| 1552 | |||||
| Jan. | Emilia | He leaves Mirandola with il Turchetto, clashes with some papal soldiers: of these, 16 are killed and 10 are captured and taken to the city. Mid-month, he surprises some sappers found working in a fort: 30 of them are killed along with some escorting infantry. | |||
| Mar. | France | Empire, Florence | 40 light cavalry | Emilia and Tuscany | On Maundy Thursday, the papal captain-general Giambattista del Monte participates in a skirmish flanked by some Roman gentlemen of his court: il Gagliardo intervenes with Giovanni Bartolomeo Bonini and twelve men-at-arms, and rushes at Giambattista del Monte. The papal captain is wounded by a lance thrust and is finished off by a Swiss soldier with a halberd. The adversaries scatter, 40 of them are killed, among whom are many gentlemen; only Alessandro Vitelli manages to save himself in the fort of Sant’Antonio. In the same month, il Gagliardo, at the request of Termes, moves to Tuscany to fight the imperials in the war of Siena. He is reported at Buonconvento with his company of 40 light cavalry; he heads towards Montalcino. At the gates of Tegoleto, he encounters 7 imperial cavalry banners commanded by the prince of Bisignano: at the beginning, the clash goes in his favor, so much so that he manages to take some prisoners (7). The greater number of adversaries eventually prevails; he is forced to retreat to Siena with 5 of his horses captured after a long ride towards that city. He enters it with his mounts tired and unshod, while his men, in their flight, have lightened themselves of part of their armor. After a few days, Ascanio della Cornia has his men, who were taken prisoner in the combat, escorted to Siena by a herald, without weapons or mounts, but with 10 florins each, given to them by the enemy captain. |
| Apr. | Tuscany | He leaves Siena with Aurelio Fregoso and Tito Tagliaferri at the head of his company and 500 arquebusiers. The purpose of the action is to supply the defenders of Montalcino with money and 16 loads of supplies and ammunition (worked fire). He reaches Murlo, near Montalcino, and with the help of the peasants manages to transfer the cargo into the city overnight. One of his light cavalrymen is taken prisoner by the prince of Bisignano; he obtains his release with his weapons and his mount. | |||
| June | Tuscany | With his horses and 30 arquebusiers, he takes from the adversaries 8 mounts, 3 mules, and a donkey, which are sold at auction in Siena. | |||
| 1554 | |||||
| … | Lombardy | He hires some horses and goes again to the Sienese territory. | |||
| July | Tuscany | He comes to the aid of Sant’Abbondio, near Monistero, where the troops of Gian Giacomo dei Medici are camped; he supplies that castle with men and provisions. | |||
| Aug. | Tuscany | He is at the side of Piero Strozzi in the battle of Marciano; he intervenes with his horses in support of the Swiss, whose commander has been killed. After the defeat, he takes refuge in Radicofani with 80 horses. | |||
| 1555 | |||||
| Dec. | Tuscany | At the defense of Montalcino. | |||
| 1556 | Tuscany | He is sent with 500 horses and 300 arquebusiers to the aid of Sarteano, where Captain Bastiano Guascone is besieged by the Medicean forces, commanded by Sforza Sforza. At dawn, he crosses the enemy lines with 200 infantry, each carrying a fascine; having reinforced the garrison, il Gagliardo heads to Cetona. Nearby, he prepares an ambush for Bartolomeo Greco who is escorting a load of gunpowder from Montepulciano; he attacks the adversaries. Coming to the aid of the latter are Leonello da Carpi and Giovanni Battista Martini, who capture him. Taken to Sarteano, he dies shortly after from his wounds. |
Sources:
-“Capitano di tanto valore e forse il meglio che avessero i Franzesi.” MONTALVO
-Con il Turchetto “Erano in questo tempo famosi nell’armi.” PAPOTTI
-“Et poi vien quel sotto ‘l real stendardo/…./ Nemico a chi non val col’arma in mano/ Sì come il Strozzo (Piero Strozzi), e poscia Giangagliardo/ Ch’è un altro Sforza ch’acquistò Milano.” ARIOSTO
-“Tenuto per vigorose ed ardite opere e degno per quelle e per altre di essere celebrato in rima ed in prosa.” BALAN
-“Si muove con grand’ira, & nulla pave (teme),/ con una spada di soverchio peso/…/ Fene la pressa sì mentre ferendo,/ Hor questo hor quel va, de nostri uccidendo./ Corse quivi de nostri una gran parte,/ Quando vider cader cotanti a terra:/ Ma visto Gian Gagliardo: anzi il Dio Marte/ Che sol faceva sì terribil guerra,/ Né per giungner che fer nessun si parte,/ Ogniun gli corse addosso, ogniun l’afferra/ Et l’han già in terra, & gli tolgono la vita:/ Ond’è la gente Franca sbigottita.” L. PIERI
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