The Siege of Genoa and the Fall of Erasmo da Trivulzio
ERASMO DA TRIVULZIO / ARASMINO DA TRIVULZIO, Marquess of Varzi. Lord of Brescello.
Born: 1383
Death: 1459 (February)
| Year, Month | State, Comp. ventura | Opponent | Command | Area of Activity | Actions Undertaken and Other Salient Facts |
| ………….. | Serves in the company of Angelo Belmamolo. | ||||
| ………….. | Milan | Fights for the ducal forces under the orders of Carmagnola. | |||
| 1420 | |||||
| June | Lombardy | At the end of the month in Milan at the Porta Giovia castle. He is reported with Fabrizio da Capua as a witness to the enfeoffment of Bordolano in favor of Giovanni da Bordolano. | |||
| 1422 | |||||
| July | Lombardy | At the end of the month, he is called as a witness to the enfeoffment of Sartirana Lomellina in favor of Angelo della Pergola. | |||
| 1424 | |||||
| July Aug. | Milan | Florence | Romagna | Participates in the Battle of Zagonara. Immediately afterward, he moves to the Rimini area to face the Malatesta family. | |
| 1425 | |||||
| Feb. | Lombardy | He is in Abbiategrasso; attends the signing of a convention between the Lord of Pesaro, Malatesta Malatesta, and the Duke of Milan. | |||
| Aug. | Romagna | In Forlì with Secco da Montagnana. | |||
| Nov. | Milan | Swiss Cantons | Romagna Piedmont | He is recalled with Angelo della Pergola to move to Piedmont with 1800 horsemen and 500 infantry to face the Swiss in Val d’Ossola. | |
| 1426 | |||||
| Mar. | Milan | Venice | Emilia | He is elected ducal lieutenant in Parma. He joins della Pergola at the Bastia del Cantone with 1000 infantry and 50 horsemen; together they march towards the Panaro where they build a bridge at Bomporto to allow the return to Lombardy of Fabrizio da Capua, Guido Torelli, Secco da Montagnana, and Antonello da Milano coming from Romagna. | |
| May | Emilia | Attacks the Venetians at Torricella. | |||
| 1427 | |||||
| Mar. | Lombardy | Joins Niccolò Piccinino and Angelo della Pergola at Casalmaggiore; camps in the villages of San Giovanni and Santo Stefano with 4000 horsemen and 2000 infantry. The Venetian provveditore Fantino Pisani surrenders to him on the condition of not receiving reinforcements within three days. | |||
| May | Lombardy | Clashes at Gottolengo with the Venetians under Carmagnola. During the year, he is appointed as one of the Duke’s trusted men (“camerario”). | |||
| 1430 | |||||
| ………….. | Milan | Florence Venice | |||
| June | Lombardy | At the end of the month, he grants Peterlino dal Verme the third part of the Marquisate of Varzi with Mendonico. The ceremony takes place in Milan at his residence located in Porta Romana, parish of San Nazzaro in Brolo (parish of San Nazzaro e Celso). | |||
| 1431 | |||||
| Summer | Lombardy | At the camp of Treviglio. | |||
| 1432 | |||||
| Jan. | Lombardy | Appointed ducal councilor, he attends the ratification of the treaty between the ducal forces and Rolando Pallavicini in Milan at the Porta Giovia castle. | |||
| Apr. | Lombardy and Tuscany | Escorts Emperor Sigismund of Hungary (Sigismondo d’Ungheria) to Tuscany. During the same days, he witnesses the renewal of the feudal investiture of Borgomanero in favor of Ribaldone Tornielli in Milan. The ceremony is held at the home of the procurator Gaspare Visconti in Porta Vercellina, parish of San Protaso in Campo. | |||
| May | Tuscany | With Alberico da Barbiano, he aids the Lord of Piombino, Jacopo d’Appiano. | |||
| June | Tuscany | Takes part in the Battle of San Romano where he commands the fifth division behind Antonio da Pontedera, Antonio della Pergola, and Ardizzone da Carrara. | |||
| Oct. | Emilia | Attacks Francesco da Correggio in Casalpo, who had just defected to the Venetian side: forcing him to surrender, he has him taken to Milan with two sons to be executed. He moves with hostile intent toward Brescello: part of the garrison retreats to the Mantua area without defending itself. | |||
| Nov. | Emilia | Seizes Brescello with Francesco Sforza. | |||
| 1433 | |||||
| May July | Milan | Venice Church Florence | Marshal | Romagna | He is appointed General Marshal of the Visconti army. He leaves Lombardy and fights in Romagna. In July, with Bernardino degli Ubaldini della Carda (2000 men), he joins Niccolò Piccinino at Imola. |
| 1434 | |||||
| Jan. | Lombardy | In Milan at the Palazzo dell’Arengo where Piccinino signs an alliance with the Marquis of Montferrat on behalf of the Duke. | |||
| ………….. | Lombardy | Stationed in the Cremona area and near Casalmaggiore. | |||
| June July | Emilia and Romagna | Strengthens the defenses of Parma. Moves toward Bologna, quarters at Massa Lombarda with 3000 horsemen and 1000 infantry: obtains the fortress through negotiations. | |||
| Aug. | Emilia | Distinguishes himself at the Battle of Castel Bolognese. | |||
| Sept. | Emilia and Romagna | Recovers Crevalcore, Manzolino, and San Giorgio al Piano; besieges Brandolino Brandolini in the Bastia of Castelfranco and forces Gattamelata to fortify himself in San Giovanni in Persiceto. | |||
| 1435 | |||||
| June | Romagna | He is defeated at Maturano, where Francesco Piccinino and Sacramoro da Parma are captured with 200 horsemen among the Visconti forces. | |||
| July | Romagna | Following the Battle of Maturano, he convinces Niccolò Piccinino not to attack Sforza, despite the opponent being in obvious difficulty. | |||
| Aug. | Romagna | Takes command of the troops when Niccolò Piccinino must go to Milan; signs a truce with Sforza in Forlì at the Church of Sant’Agostino. | |||
| 1436 | |||||
| Jan. | Milan | Genoa | Liguria | He is appointed Governor of Genoa in place of Opicino Alciati. On the same day he reaches the city (or the day before), Genoa rebels against the ducal forces under the leadership of Francesco Spinola; the inhabitants seize the Porta di San Tommaso. Erasmo da Trivulzio shuts himself in the Castelletto with Luigi Crotti and Biagio Assereto. Forced to surrender shortly after, he is allowed to leave the fortress with his troops. | |
| 1439 | |||||
| July | Replaces Biagio Assereto as the ducal commissioner of Parma. | ||||
| Summer | Milan | Swiss Cantons | Switzerland | Faces the Swiss in Bellinzona who are threatening the borders of the Duchy; reaches a truce with the opponents and obtains their withdrawal. | |
| ………….. | King of Aragon | ||||
| 1440 | |||||
| June | Milan | Lombardy | Reported in Lodi. | ||
| 1441 | |||||
| Oct. | Lombardy | Escorts Bianca Maria Visconti to Cremona, where she is to marry Sforza. | |||
| 1442 | |||||
| May June | Marshal | Emilia | Obtains Brescello as a fief. In June, he is elected General Marshal and ducal commissioner in Parma in place of Oldrado Lampugnani. Stays at the Palazzo del Capitano. Also in this year, he obtains other lands in Boretto and Gualtieri as fiefs. | ||
| 1443 | |||||
| Oct. | Emilia | He is appointed Governor of Parma. | |||
| 1444 | |||||
| Mar. | Emilia | Reaches Ferrara for the wedding of Borso d’Este with Maria of Aragon (Maria d’Aragona). | |||
| 1446 | |||||
| May | Milan | Venice | Lombardy | Serves for the Ambrosian Republic. An attack led by Erasmo da Trivulzio against Cremona with Francesco Piccinino and Jacopo Piccinino is repelled by Giacomo da Salerno and the Venetians. He withdraws with the approach of the Venetian army led by Micheletto Attendolo. | |
| Sept. | Lombardy | Defeated by Attendolo at the Battle of Mezzano, he flees toward Cremona. | |||
| ………….. | Emilia | Maintains his positions in Parma; has 20 horsemen at his service whose cost to the municipality amounts to 120 “fiorini piccoli” every two months. | |||
| 1447 | |||||
| Aug. | Lombardy | Upon the death of Duke Filippo Maria Visconti, he summons the people and the Elders of Parma; he leaves the citizens free to decide their own fate. Returns to Milan and, during the same period, obtains with Antonio da Trivulzio a lease from the Bishop of Parma Delfino della Pergola for some lands in Boretto and Gualtieri for an annual rent of 25 ducats. | |||
| Sept. | Milan | Correggio | Emilia and Piedmont | Supports the Ambrosian Republic. Returns to the Parma area; with Astorre Manfredi, he requests 2 bombards and various munitions from Sforza to recover the fortress of Brescello, which was taken from him by Niccolò, Manfredo, and Giberto da Correggio. In the Novara area. | |
| 1448 | |||||
| June | Lombardy | Joins Francesco Piccinino in his anti-Sforza policy. | |||
| Nov. | Milan | Venice Sforza | Lombardy | Opposes Sforza who, in a reversal of alliances, now collaborates with the Venetians to take control of the Duchy of Milan. Enters Lodi with Francesco Piccinino. | |
| 1449 | |||||
| Sept. | Lombardy | He is captured by Sforza’s forces in Lodi when Carlo Gonzaga defects to the enemy camp. Initially sentenced to be imprisoned in the “Forni” of Monza, he is confined in prison in Pavia. He is soon released. | |||
| 1450 | |||||
| Mar. | Lombardy | Following Sforza‘s victory, he is knighted by the condottiero himself in Milan. | |||
| 1453 | |||||
| Sept. | Lombardy | In Pavia; welcomes René of Anjou (Renato d’Angiò) at the Gravellone bridge, who is about to join Sforza’s forces with 2500 horsemen to oppose the Venetians. | |||
| 1456 | Lombardy | Called by Francesco Sforza to join the ducal council. | |||
| 1459 | |||||
| Feb. | Dies at the end of the month from a stroke. A patron of humanist culture, he is on cordial terms with Francesco Filelfo (appearing as one of the interlocutors in the book “Convivii”), Pier Candido Decembrio, and Angelo Decembrio. He marries Orsina Visconti, daughter of Luchino Novello and Veronica Cavalcabò. |
Sources
-“Uno dei migliori condottieri del duca Filippo Maria Visconti.” BOSI
-“Huomo chiaro per ricchezze e per valore.” FOGLIETTA
-“Valorosamente e fedelmente, meritò di haver non pur gli illustri honori della militia, percioché fu suo (di Filippo Maria Visconti) generale, ma ancora per moglie una parente del principe con una ricca dote.” SANSOVINO
-“Quale du degnissimo gentilomo ed ebbe cento uomini d’arme con grande autorità.” ALBERI
-Con Alberico da Barbiano “Viros maxime fidei et virtutis, quorum manibus committeremus iopsam animam.” Da una lettera di Filippo Maria Visconti riportata dall‘OSIO
-“Tra i migliori condottieri del duca Filippo Maria Visconti.” LITTA
-“Costui fu prudente e savio condottiero.” BROGLIO
-“Huomo di grande stima, e valore.” INTERIANO
-“(Filippo Maria Visconti) habebat preterea nonnullos sibi fidos, nec ignaros rei militaris, quibus privatim a ducibus multa imponeret bello peragenda, quo in numero Arasminus Trivultius fuit.” DECEMBRIO
-“Arasmino Trivulzio, in particolare, assommò molti importanti incarichi civili e militari..come “camerario” del duca (è del 1427 un suo mandato ai tesorieri dell’esercito affinché corrispondessero un sussidio ad alcuni armigeri). Una patente lo nomina “gubernator lanciarum spetiatarum et familiarium ab armis”, un titolo molto ampio che gli conferiva amplissima autorità di ordinare e comandare sugli armigeri e sui loro famigli, di multare, licenziare e fare le mostre, di concedere le licenze, e soprattutto gli attribuiva, secondo gli usi militari del tempo, la giurisdizione senza limiti fino alla mutilazione e alla pena di morte.” COVINI
-“Al di là del suo profilo di capitano di medio calibro, comunque attivo per decenni e assai esperto nei due aspetti di capo militare e di supervisore delle milizie di condotta, e della sua intermittente attività politica, la figura di Trivulzio è rilevante anche per altri aspetti. Aveva ottenuto l’investitura di Brescello nel 1442 e nello stesso anno terre in feudo a Boretto e Gualtieri, sempre nel Parmense; precocemente , mostrò attenzione alla sicurezza idraulica e alla gestione delle acque, anche in contrasto con i Torelli di Guastalla.. Dal 1448 ebbe terre e diritti a Lodi..Da grande magnate milanese fu amico e protettore di umanisti e letterati, in particolare di Francesco Filelfo, che gli rese omaggio scegliendolo come ospite nel secondo dei suoi “Convivii””. COVINI (Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani)
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