Alberto Sterz / Albrecht Sterz (also known as Alberto Tedesco or Alburetto), a marquis from Cologne, was a prominent German condottiero.
Death: 1366, November
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| Year/Month | State/Comp. ventura | Opponent | Conduct | Activity area | Actions taken and other salient facts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1360 | |||||
| May | France | He fights in France during the Hundred Years’ War. With the Peace of Brétigny, he becomes part of the Great Company formed by English, Gascon, and German mercenaries who have fought in France for the English. Other co-founders of the company are the French Séguin de Badefol, Bernard de la Salle, the English John Hawkwood (Giovanni Acuto) and John Verney, and the Italian Giovanni Guccio. | |||
| France | The company initially moves in Champagne and Burgundy, descending the Rhône valley. In mid-December, it joins Walter Lesley, John Hawkwood (Giovanni Acuto), and Richard Musard in the occupation of Pont-Saint-Esprit, 25 miles from Avignon. | ||||
| 1361 | |||||
| Jan. | Comp. ventura | Church | France | Pope Innocent VI is threatened in Avignon. Alberto Sterz besieges the city with other captains at the head of Gascon and Spanish troops. Having received 100,000 florins, he leaves the region. | |
| Summer | Monferrato | Milan, Count of Savoy | France, Piedmont, Lombardy | The pontifical forces urge the mercenaries to move into Piedmont to fight the Visconti in favor of the Marquis of Monferrato Giovanni Paleologo. During the march, the remnants of the Great Company, now called the White Company or the English (called “White” due to the whiteness of their armor), set fire to villages near Marseille and cause serious damage in the territory; from Nice, they head towards Piedmont. Overcoming the resistance of the troops of the Count of Savoy Amadeus VI in the Maritime Alps, Alberto Sterz with the Monferrato forces attacks Savigliano. Repulsed, he spreads into the Canavese; he seizes Rivarolo Canavese after scaling its walls. After sacking the locality, he heads towards Ivrea; he captures the bishop of the city Pierre de la Chambre and obtains a substantial ransom. The company remains in the lands of the Count of Savoy for almost a year. | |
| Nov. | Piedmont | At the end of the month, with John Hawkwood (Giovanni Acuto), Andrea di Belmonte, William Folifet or Folifait, and William Quarton, he signs an agreement in Rivarolo Canavese with the Marquis of Monferrato. He commits to fight under his orders until July of the following year. In the company, there are 17 corporals (15 of whom are probably English) for a total of 5,500 cavalry and 2,000 infantry. Among the captains are veterans of the Hundred Years’ War such as John Hawkwood (Giovanni Acuto), Robert Knolles (Roberto Canolles), Guyot du Pin, Belmonte, William Bosone, Quarton, John Basino, Robert of Thorborough, Thomas of Beaumont (Tommaso di Bomont), Hugh Eton (Ugolino Ethon), Thomas of Biston, John Borgelay, Thomas Ludelay, William Kirkby (Guglielmo Kerkebi), Robin de Pingo, William d’Arras, William Filifet, John Stochland, and Adam Scot. | |||
| 1362 | |||||
| May | Piedmont and Lombardy | He moves against Galeazzo Visconti as per the agreements. He roams near Tortona and along the borders with Milan. Various localities in the Novara area are burned or destroyed by the mercenaries, such as Olengo, Mezzomerico, Pombia, Sologno, Morghengo, Bogogno, Romagnano Sesia, Fontaneto d’Agogna, Ghemme, Sizzano, Mandello Vitta, Mosezzo, Nibbia, and Landiona. Oleggio is razed despite the payment of 1,500 florins. The opponents practice scorched earth tactics, making it impossible to find supplies in the surrounding area; the Visconti forces take refuge in fortresses, avoiding any confrontation. The lack of supplies and the plague, which had entered Sterz’s camp already in France, force him to halt operations temporarily. He settles in Sizzano; from there, he heads to Castelnuovo Scrivia. At the end of the month, he storms into the city with the help of some traitors. Enormous atrocities are committed by his men. Konrad von Landau (Conte Lando) comes against him but remains inactive, allowing Sterz to withdraw in good order. He stays with his men near Tortona for three months without encountering opposition from Konrad von Landau. A sortie by the defenders of Bassignana against his men results in a setback for his troops with many dead and prisoners. | |||
| Sept. | Piedmont | Luchino dal Verme confronts him; though with limited means (500 helmets), he manages to restrain Sterz’s company, forcing it to retreat back to the Novara area. | |||
| Nov. | Monferrato | Count of Savoy | Piedmont | Upon learning that Luchino dal Verme has fallen ill in Pavia, he gathers 500 cavalry (many of his men have died of plague in Romagnano Sesia) and returns to the territory of Tortona. He joins the Genoese led by Luchino Novello Visconti and Bartolomeo Boccanegra; they reach near Sale, cross the Scrivia at the ford of San Martino, and assault the city from the side towards Porta Genova. He prepares siege operations, forcefully obtains Viguzzolo after scaling its walls; reaches Casalnoceto with Luchino Novello Visconti and presents himself before the castle with some hostages previously handed over by the inhabitants to the Marquis of Monferrato. He threatens to kill them in case of resistance. The defenders refuse to surrender; Sterz has the prisoners killed; their bodies are quartered and their limbs thrown into the moat. He enters Casalnoceto by force and sacks it; Castellar Guidobono, Volpeglino, Monleale, Cerreto Grue, and Cecina suffer the same fate; Gremiasco and Montegualdone surrender under terms. In a raid, he surprises at night Amadeus of Savoy in Lanzo Torinese; along with the count, Edward of Savoy-Acaia, the chancellor d’Estrées, and a son of the Count of Geneva are also captured. Following the capture, negotiations begin for the ransom of the prisoners and the return of the Savoyard territories in the hands of the mercenaries: they are given 180,000 florins for the ransom. | |
| Dec. | Monferrato | Milan | Piedmont, Lombardy | He continues to plunder the Alessandria area; crosses the Scrivia and spends the night at the monastery of Rivalta Scrivia. At dawn, with the help of many Genoese crossbowmen from Novi Ligure, he occupies the town of Bosco Marengo. The local castle, however, resists the assaults of his men. He attempts in vain to seize Pozzolo Formigaro. A thousand English cavalry then advance on Frascata and move towards Sale, where they are likewise repelled by the inhabitants. He storms into Castelnuovo Scrivia. All those who try to defend themselves (300 men out of 1,200) are killed; the others are taken prisoner to be brought to Sizzano. He again penetrates the Tortona area with 1,500 cavalry and stops before the capital; he burns the fields without finding any opposition from Konrad von Landau. He conducts similar raids in the Oltrepò Pavese: after a failed attempt to enter Stradella, he returns to Voghera. Then he leaves that town to capture the castles of San Martino and Larca, which are sacked. He takes Rivanazzano; regarding this locality, it is said that his men exhumed the corpse of Ruffino di Rivanazzano, of the lords of San Nazaro, and quartered it limb by limb. With the Genoese Bartolomeo Boccanegra, he again occupies in the Voghera area Stefanago, Gravellona, Fortunago, Montepicco, Rocca Susella, Poggio Arimanni, Castagnola, Sant’Antonino, Nibbiola. He moves again into Piedmont, occupies Casalino and Romagnano Sesia, for whose conquest he suffers significant losses (50 men). In Novi Ligure, he separates from Boccanegra, who returns to Genoa due to the bad weather, while he heads to Asti with 300 helmets of the company; the other men-at-arms set up their quarters in Acqui Terme. With Otto of Brunswick, shortly after, he negotiates a truce in Valenza with Giovanni Pepoli and Konrad von Landau. He returns to Romagnano Sesia. | |
| 1363 | |||||
| Jan. | Piedmont, Lombardy | Having broken off peace negotiations, in the first days of the month, he gathers the company in Romagnano Sesia, resumes the offensive, and descends into Lomellina; from Garlasco, he heads to the Ticino, crosses the river at a ford, and breaks into the Milanese territory. He conquers Magenta and Corbetta; the English disperse throughout the Seprio; they also occupy Legnano, Nerviano, Castano Primo, Vittuone, Sedriano, Casterno, reaching up to five or six miles from Milan. In the raid, more than 600 Milanese nobles are captured (all lodging in their country houses near the capital). These, to regain their freedom, must pay a ransom. In Castano Primo alone, the mercenaries collect 100,000 florins in ransoms. Learning that Hanneken Von Baumgarten (Anichino di Baumgarten) is approaching from Parma at forced marches, Alberto Sterz, laden with immense booty, recrosses the Ticino and returns to Romagnano Sesia. At the end of the month, with Otto of Brunswick, he attempts to seize Borgomanero; the two captains are discovered. Sterz is thus forced to return to Valenza after suffering some losses (6 dead and several wounded). In the same days, he is contacted by Galeazzo Visconti; however, the latter’s blandishments are unsuccessful. | |||
| Feb.–Mar. | Piedmont, Lombardy | He continues his tactic of plundering the counties of Vercelli and Novara; repeats the attempt on Borgomanero; conquers the center and repels an attack by 300 helmets coming from Novara. | |||
| Apr. | Piedmont | He exits again from Romagnano Sesia and sacks Briona; at the end of the month, he faces Konrad von Landau at Ponte Canturino, near Ghemme. He defeats the opponent and captures him along with Giovanni Caimi; Konrad von Landau dies shortly after from the wounds sustained in the clash. He is approached in Novara by ambassadors from Pisa, Francesco Zaccio and Pietro da Peccioli, who propose that he fight against the Florentines. He abandons the Novara area, a territory devastated not only by his men but also by the presence of the plague. | |||
| May | Piedmont | At Bassignana for peace negotiations between Marquis Giovanni of Monferrato and Galeazzo Visconti. He is contacted by the Florentines who, at first, offer him a contract with a contribution of 70,000 florins from Visconti himself. The agreement falls through because in the city council prevails the party of those who believe that the expense to hire such a company is excessive and in any case unnecessary. The contacts break off and the White Company (strong of 2,500 cavalry and 2,000 infantry) takes the road to Pisa. Alberto Sterz chooses to serve the Pisans against the same Florentines. He is contracted for six months for a fee of 40,000 florins: of which 30,000 are assured by a forced loan of four months imposed in June on the citizens. | |||
| July | Pisa | Florence | 2,500 cavalry and 2,000 infantry | Piedmont, Emilia, Tuscany | He leaves Romagnano Sesia and the castle of Santa Fede; passes through Arona, Pontenure, Piacenza with Visconti’s consent, and sets out to war against the Florentines. Arriving in Pisa, he leaves the city with Gisello degli Ubaldini (800 cavalry and 4,000 infantry, plus many townspeople on horseback) and the White Company at full strength. From Lucca, through the mountains of Montaquilano, he descends into the plain of Pistoia; on St. James’s Day, he prevents the inhabitants from holding their palio; he does not attack the town, which is weakened by the recent plague. From there, he moves to Campi Bisenzio, Peretola, and the bridge of Rifredi where the Pisans mint coins and hang three donkeys with the names of as many Florentines around their necks. He returns to Campi Bisenzio and Peretola, sacks the countryside of Florence and Prato; crosses the Arno and burns Lastra a Signa; also the territory of Empoli and the Valdarno are laid waste. |
| Aug. | Comp. ventura | Siena | Tuscany | On the return to Pisa, a part of the company under his orders begins to raid in the Sienese territory. He reunites with them and returns to the capital to share in the triumph and booty. Days later, he returns to the Sienese territory with Anichino di Baumgarten; he is reported in Val di Strove and at Staggia, near Monteriggioni, causing destruction everywhere and taking many prisoners. The Sienese send ambassadors to Pisa several times to stop his action and have the plunder and prisoners returned. At the end of the month, he is paid 12,250 florins by the Sienese, delivered to the chancellor of Baumgarten, Scialardo Tedesco. In exchange, he commits with the company not to return to the Sienese territory for three years. He obtains many supplies. In withdrawing towards Pisa, the Valdarno feels his weight with devastation and cattle raids. | |
| Sept. | Pisa | Florence | Tuscany | Gisello degli Ubaldini dies. With the new captain general of the Pisans Manetto da Jesi, Alberto Sterz takes the road of Chianti and in Valdarno sacks the village and castle of Figline Valdarno. | |
| Oct. | Tuscany | He moves against the lord of Fano Pandolfo Malatesta and Ranuccio Farnese camped at Incisa: Malatesta returns to Florence and detaches from the camp Amerigone Tedesco with 500 helmets to raid in the Pisan territory. Alberto Sterz immediately attacks the opponents; the camp is stormed after a few hours. The Florentines lose more than 400 men between dead and prisoners; Ranuccio Farnese, Giovanni degli Obizzi, and Giovanni Mangiadori are captured; Bartolomeo Partigiani drowns in the river as he jumps in to avoid capture. His attack on the castle of Tre Vigne is repelled; his men conduct raids in Figline Valdarno, the Arezzo area, and the Casentino. | |||
| Nov.–Dec. | Tuscany | The company is laden with prisoners and rich spoils. Having set fire to Figline Valdarno, the White Company prepares to return to Pisa. Pandolfo Malatesta does not provide to guard the passes of the Val di Pesa. He arranges for Florentine spies to inform Malatesta of his plan to attack Florence. Thus, he has a free path to return to Pisa without problems. He spends the winter break in a quarter of the city; his men harass the local women so much that many inhabitants are forced to send them to Genoa and other places for their safety. Alberto Sterz is renewed the contract for another six months. The pay is set at 150,000 florins. The condottiero demands the monopoly of looting and imposes the dismissal of all mercenaries not belonging to the White Company. | |||
| 1364 | |||||
| Jan.–Feb. | Tuscany | The agreed sum is delivered to him; only from this moment does he camp away from Pisa. He resumes the campaign without substantial progress. The cold does not relent, making movements and operations difficult. | |||
| Mar. | Tuscany | Anichino di Baumgarten also joins the White Company with 3,000 helmets. Sterz quarters himself on the hills above Florence and the city. | |||
| Apr.–May | Comp. ventura | Tuscany | Pope Urban V preaches a crusade against the mercenary companies, offering economic subsidies to states that undertake such a fight and a plenary indulgence of two years for those who combat them. Sterz, as captain of the White Company, sends to Avignon his captain Robert Wodhaus (Woodhouse) to inform the Pope that he and his companions are ready to fight for this cause. In early May, Thomas de Ufford, son of the Earl of Suffolk, and William de la Pole, lord of Castle Ashby, arrive from England to induce the mercenaries to be their companions in the crusade. They achieve no result. The mercenaries are owed 60,000 florins by Pisa in back pay. With the promise of 35,000 florins delivered to the Germans of Anichino di Baumgarten‘s company and 70,000 overall to all members of the White Company, Sterz abandons the service of the Pisans for that of the Florentines. He forms, with the same Baumgarten and Hugh of the Tuft (Ugo della Zucca), the Company of the Star: other captains such as Andrea di Belmonte, the marshal James Gosit, Bosone, Quarton, John Brachefelt, Otto of Illberg, John Cibol, Robin Barber, and Richard Ramsey join him in the turnaround. The key figure in the corruption operation turns out to be the Scot Walter Leslie. | ||
| June | Comp. ventura | Siena | Tuscany | He imposes a new ransom on the Sienese with Johann von Habsburg (Giovanni d’Asburgo). The Government of the Twelve sends Ugolino Dandini to sound out his intentions and to avert, at the same time, raids by them: the mercenaries are handed 16,000 florins in two installments (of which 2,000 destined for their person), the rest to the company. | |
| July | Florence | Siena, Pisa | Tuscany | The Company of the Star takes its name from the Order of the Star, created by the King of France John II in 1351. Alberto Sterz is hired by the Florentines for six months with a salary of 60,000 florins on the condition that his company does not damage for the next six years the Florentine, Arezzo, and Pistoia territories. The condottiero, for his part, reserves the right to leave the company and form another. He infests the Sienese territory with the Company of the Little Hat; he positions himself on the Arbia until 12,250 florins are handed over to him and Anichino di Baumgarten by the Sienese, with the obligation not to enter the territory of the commune as enemies for three years. The agreement is formalized through Doffo Bardi. The espionage service regarding the company’s movements costs the commune an additional sum of 765 florins. | |
| Aug. | Tuscany | ||||
| Sept. | Tuscany | He heads towards Montepulciano. Here he separates from Anichino di Baumgarten. | |||
| Oct. | Comp. ventura | Siena, Perugia | Tuscany, Umbria | He raids the Sienese territory with 6,000 cavalry and many infantry: an agreement is reached with the commune; the company is granted 38,650 florins (42,627, the total cost also includes gifts for the company’s captains, 2 palfreys, one for Alberto Sterz and one for Anichino di Baumgarten, several thousand verrettoni loaded on 9 mules, and the delivery of a large quantity of supplies, including wine, wax, confections, and fodder for the horses). To seal the agreement, the mercenaries promise not to attack the territory for three years. Siena does not have the cash necessary to pay the ransom; six citizens are handed over to Sterz as hostages, including the conservator of Siena Obizzino Spinola. Alberto Sterz goes to Gracciano and stays there until his credit is settled. He moves to Chiugi, reaches Passignano sul Trasimeno, and camps under Cortona; he occupies Castelnuovo and takes many prisoners. He then obtains the castle of San Mariano and raids the countryside between Cosciano and Antria; he burns houses and palaces in the plain of Mantignana; he plunders for several days the territories of San Marco, Montemelino, San Mariano, and Taverne dell’Olmo. Perugia sends against him Anichino di Baumgarten. | |
| Nov. | Umbria | He negotiates with the commune of Perugia: his company commits not to attack Anichino di Baumgarten and Perugia for one year; he also commits to leaving the territory within 10 days in exchange for the provision of supplies. The authorities invite all the captains to come to Perugia for a banquet. At the end of the month, Alberto Sterz, with his men, enters the territories of Assisi, Spello, Foligno, Bevagna, and Gubbio. | |||
| Dec. | Abruzzo | He heads towards L’Aquila. He continues to Puglia to winter in that region. | |||
| 1365 | |||||
| Jan. | Church, Naples | He concludes a contract with Cardinal Gil de Albornoz and the Queen of Naples Joanna I of Naples (Giovanna d’Angiò) (5,000 cavalry and 1,000 infantry under the orders of Hugh of the Tuft (Ugo della Zucca)). With it, he commits, for a salary of 160,000 florins, to serve the Papal States and the Angevins against all their enemies (especially Anichino di Baumgarten) and not to molest the ecclesiastical lands and those of the Kingdom of Naples for 5 years. | |||
| Mar. | Church, Naples | Comp. ventura | Lazio | Anichino di Baumgarten at the head of 10,000 men seizes Vetralla. The Company of the Star of Alberto Sterz proves so undisciplined as to force Gómez de Albornoz, nephew of Cardinal Gil de Albornoz and captain general of the papal army, to break camp and go to Orvieto. The English follow Sterz. A new agreement is reached between the parties. | |
| May | Comp. ventura | Siena | Tuscany | He imposes a new ransom on the Sienese with Johann von Habsburg (Giovanni d’Asburgo). The Government of the Twelve sends Ugolino Dandini to sound out his intentions and to avert, at the same time, raids by them: the mercenaries are handed 16,000 florins in two installments (of which 2,000 destined for their person), the rest to the company. | |
| July | Perugia | Comp. ventura | Umbria | He returns to the Perugia area; Anichino di Baumgarten immediately leaves Rome, and both move to the aid of Perugia. The Germans of the Company of the Star attack the rear guard of the English of Andrea di Belmonte. A fierce battle takes place near San Mariano. The men of the White Company of Hugh of the Tuft (Ugo della Zucca) and Andrea di Belmonte fortify themselves in a nearby castle. After two days, due to the scorching heat and the lack of water and wine, the English are forced to surrender. | |
| Aug. | Siena | Comp. ventura | Umbria, Tuscany | He participates in Perugia in a banquet attended also by the captive enemy captains. Immediately after, he leaves the territory with Anichino di Baumgarten and is enlisted by the Sienese who feel threatened by John Hawkwood (Giovanni Acuto). He passes through Siena (he is given 2 horses, confections, wax, fodder, and wine worth 600 florins). He pursues the adversaries to San Quirico d’Orcia and Sant’Angelo in Colle; he finally stops in Siena for many days to treat the wounded from a clash with the adversaries at Magliano. He proceeds to Pisa while Anichino di Baumgarten takes the road to Arezzo and Perugia. | |
| 1366 | |||||
| June | Perugia | Comp. ventura | Umbria | He is hired by the Perugians with Anichino di Baumgarten to face in the territory of Città di Castello the Company of Saint George of Ambrogio Visconti and John Hawkwood (Giovanni Acuto). | |
| Oct.–Nov. | Perugia | Church | Umbria | He fights the papal forces. Accused of wanting to hand over Assisi to the adversaries, thus betraying the commune of Perugia in favor of Cardinal Gil de Albornoz, as well as wanting to reinstate the exiles in the city, he is arrested and imprisoned in the tower of Porta Sant’Angelo. In early November, he is found guilty and sentenced to beheading. There is no certain evidence of his betrayal. |
Sources
-“Qui virtuosus ad pugnam omnes alios facit virtuosos.” AZARIO
-“Azario lauded the leadership provided by the band’s captain general Albert Sterz, whose “virtue at war made all the others virtuosus”. Azario credited Sterz’s effectiveness in no small measure to his ability to speak the English language and thus communicate directly with his soldiers.” CAFERRO
-“Sterz had never a great strategist. Militarily, he relied on bulk, sheer force of numbers, rather than guile; politically, he was undeveloped, insensible to the intricates of Italian diplomacy.” STONOR SAUNDERS
-Al comando della Compagnia Bianca “La si dice Compagnia inglese, sia perché v’abbondavano infatti gl’Inglesi, sia perché fosse composta dagli stipendiari al soldo d’Edoardo III (il re d’Inghilterra), o che avessero accettato l’ordinamento inglese. Erano gli Inglesi una nuova specie di stipendiari, s’assomigliavano agli Ungheri nel preferire il combattimento a piedi: avevano lunghe lancie.” CIPOLLA
Featured image: wikimedia
