How Arrogance Destroyed a Medieval French Commander’s Alliances
Louis de Montjoie (Luigi di Montjoie) of Geneva. Probably from a family of Alsatian descent. Lord of Casei Gerola. Nephew of Antipope Clement VII.
Death: 1415 ca.
| Year, Month | State, Company Venture | Opponent | Command | Area of Activity | Actions Undertaken and Other Salient Facts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ………….. | France | Belongs to one of the oldest families of Alsace, the Frohberg. Montjoie is the exact translation in French of the German words “berg” and “fro.” | |||
| 1376 | |||||
| Jul. | Church | Florence (Firenze) | Romagna | Fought in the War of the Eight Saints with the Company of the Bretons. Encamped at Cesena; agreed to withdraw from the city upon payment of 60,000 ducats. | |
| 1377 | |||||
| Feb. | Romagna | Took part in the massacre of Cesena. | |||
| Jul. | Romagna | With Giovanni di Malestroit at Montefiore Conca hosted by Galeotto Malatesta; attended ceremonies for the baptism of the latter’s son. | |||
| 1378 | |||||
| Feb. | Antipope (Antipapa) | Church | Lazio | Fought for Antipope Clement VII against the troops of Pope Urban VI. Received the title of Marshal of the Pope and the Roman Curia. Defeated at Carpineto Romano. | |
| Jul. | Lazio | Defeated the Romans at Ponte Salario: among the opponents were 500 dead and numerous prisoners. | |||
| 1379 | |||||
| Feb. | Lazio | Ordered to march on Rome to aid the defenders of Castel Sant’Angelo. | |||
| Apr. | Lazio | Besieged the castle of Marino for nearly a month and devastated the surrounding territory; opposed by Alberico da Barbiano and Galeazzo Pepoli. Divided the army into three divisions: commanded one with Jean de Malestroit (Giovanni di Malestroit), the others under Bernardon de la Salle (Bernardo della Sala). Initially repelled Pepoli; after five hours routed by Barbiano, who captured all Breton banners. Taken prisoner and brought to Rome with other company captains. | |||
| 1381 | |||||
| ……….. | Angevin (Angiò) | Naples (Napoli) | France | Departed Marseille with Louis II of Anjou to fight Charles of Durazzo in the Kingdom of Naples. | |
| Aug. | Emilia | Crossed the territory of Parma. | |||
| 1382 | |||||
| Aug. | Emilia and Romagna | Located in the Bolognese; at Bertinoro defeated and captured by Barbiano. Released under pressure from Sinibaldo Ordelaffi, rejoined Louis II of Anjou. | |||
| Oct. | Campania | Stationed at Maddaloni. | |||
| 1387 | |||||
| Oct. | Angevin Antipope (Angiò Antipapa) | Naples Church | France and Campania | Embarked from Marseille with five galleys and one small galley; sailed to Gaeta seizing enemy vessels. Landed at Naples mid-month, accompanied by the Count of Potenza Ugo da San Severino, the Count of Caserta and other dignitaries. | |
| Nov.–Dec. | Captain General | Campania | Took administration of Naples; reproached previous Angevin defenders Tommaso da San Severino and Otto of Brunswick. Two days after landing, his crossbowmen from France stormed the bastion guarding Castel dell’Ovo. Had himself appointed Viceroy and Captain General in place of San Severino and Brunswick. San Severino returned home in anger; Brunswick withdrew with his troops to Sant’Agata de’ Goti. Louis de Montjoie sent Giordano Pandone and Giacomo Spadinfaccia to negotiate with Brunswick at Caserta without success. | ||
| 1388 | |||||
| Jan. | Campania | Besieged the castle of Porta Capuana in Naples, held by partisans of Margaret of Durazzo, mother of the young Ladislaus of Anjou. John Hawkwood and Otto of Brunswick marched to relieve it with 5,000 men. | |||
| Feb. | Campania | Despite having only 1,100–1,600 cavalry, sallied from Porta Nolana to confront Hawkwood and Brunswick; drove both off and returned to Naples. Organized city defenses when attacked by land and sea at Guizzardo Bridge. Stationed in the central square with Pietro della Corona, while Angelino d’Austria garrisoned the Porta delle Corregge and the square of Santo Spirito. At sunset, the Durazzo forces were forced to withdraw. | |||
| 1389 | |||||
| Apr. | Campania | Ugolino delle Grotte, defender of Castel Capuano, promised to surrender if not relieved within four days. Attacked by Brunswick and Hawkwood on land and by four galleys, six brigantines and other ships at sea. Opponents penetrated the environs of Naples at Casa Nova, San Pietro all’Ara and Borgonuovo; 400 armed men sallied from the castle. After a long bloody fight, the Durazzo forces retreated to Afragola and the fleet hastily abandoned the roadstead. Defenders of Castel Capuano surrendered next morning; 190 men-at-arms left the fortress under escort beyond the city gates by Montjoie’s men. Montjoie ceremoniously entered the captured fortress; the banners of the Antipope and of Louis II of Anjou, borne by Talabard and Sandalo dalla Ratta, were planted on the tower. Following this success, he began the siege of Castelnuovo, which was equipped with new war engines; the Angevin side built new bastions and reinforced existing ones, deploying frameworks to shield from projectiles. No one could enter or leave the besieged fortress. Sent envoys to Louis II of Anjou urging his arrival in the kingdom. | |||
| May–Jun. | Campania | Seized the islet of San Vincenzo and surrounded it with breastworks; built a three-story tower equipped with bombards and crossbows, connected to the mainland by a secure wooden bridge; stretched a long chain around the island to prevent relief ships docking. Placed additional bombards, pilings and a large trebuchet on the quay and islet; a barge and a galleass from the sea watched to thwart any attempt to break the chain. | |||
| Jul. | Campania | Advanced on Marigliano with 3,000 cavalry, encamped at Dogliolo (Poggioreale) and entered Naples to resupply the city. | |||
| Aug. | Campania | Engaged near Guizzardo Bridge with Cecco dal Borgo; captured the condottiero and nine men-at-arms. | |||
| 1390 | |||||
| Aug. | Campania | With the arrival from France of Louis II of Anjou and the Cardinal of Santa Susanna, relinquished the viceroyalty and became Grand Justiciar. The Neapolitan nobility and populace harbored resentment toward the French. Montjoie accompanied the King of Provence in various ceremonies, including a procession through Naples and a visit to Castel Capuano. | |||
| Sept. | France | Left Naples with two galleys; returned to France, at Avignon, to present grievances to the Antipope and Queen Mother Maria of Blois regarding ceding full powers to the Cardinal of Santa Susanna. His uncle and the Queen of Provence sided with him and delivered a message ordering his reinstatement. | |||
| 1391 | |||||
| Dec. | Antipope (Antipapa) | Naples Church | Marshal | Campania | Appointed Marshal by Antipope Clement VII and returned to Naples, replacing the recalled papal legate. The Eight of the Good State in the capital refused this directive: the kingdom should be governed not solely by Montjoie (representing Louis II of Anjou) but also by a council of eight. Montjoie refused this arrangement. |
| 1392 | |||||
| Jan. | Campania | With Giorgio di Marles captured the tower of Sant’Anastasia after fierce fighting, then proceeded to Somma Vesuviana to seize another tower under Philippus della Corona after a brief siege. | |||
| Feb. | France | Returned to Provence. Presented grievances about the Neapolitan situation to the Antipope and Queen Maria of Blois; replaced the papal legate in guardianship of Louis II of Anjou. | |||
| Mar. | |||||
| Obtained reappointment as Viceroy of the Kingdom of Naples. Faced bitter disputes with Angevin-aligned nobles; notably the Count of Venosa, Ugo da San Severino, resigned and temporarily left the capital with his followers. | |||||
| Apr. | Campania | Reconciled with the San Severino after their victory over Barbiano. Noted in Naples with Protonotary Ugo da San Severino, Louis of Savoy and Giorgio di Marles; Tommaso da San Severino dispatched on a mission to Avignon. | |||
| May | Campania | Marched toward Nocera with many cavalry and infantry; relieved Ludovico di Ristaino besieged in the fortress of Castellammare di Stabia. Joined by Louis of Savoy, fought the forces of Giannello Tomacelli, who strengthened his camp with bastions and ditches; arrival of five Durazzo galleys forced Montjoie to retreat to Angri. Returned to Castellammare di Stabia with a flotilla of a galley, a small galley and a saetia; delivered supplies to the fortress; landed at the bastion called Lo Sperone and burned it after finding it indefensible. The defenders were transferred to Angri. | |||
| Jun. | Campania and Sicily | Sailed from Naples with a galley and a small galley raiding the Sicilian coasts; returned with 10 galleys and 4 small galleys; landed at Castellammare di Stabia and sacked the town. Also looted the Durazzo camp; four galleys of his fleet prevented two enemy galleys from leaving Sorrento. Relieved the tower of Carluccio Minutolo near Afragola, threatened by Giacomo Stendardo and Giannello Tomacelli. | |||
| 1393 | |||||
| Feb. | Campania | Departed Scala and occupied Ravello, which was horrifically sacked; on the same day secured Minori, Maiori and Tramonti, which swore loyalty to Louis II of Anjou. | |||
| Apr. | Campania | Assaulted Pozzuoli with all Breton men-at-arms and many Neapolitan peasants; laid siege to the city. | |||
| May | Campania | Advanced on Aversa; confronted by the Count of Alife, capturing horses in front of the enemy camp’s palisades; in evening returned to Naples. Attacked Aversa again with the Count of Cerreto; quartered by the Sant’Antonio River. After the raid, proceeded to Capua, defended by Giovanni da Fabriano; halted at Ordicchiello, sending a challenge glove to the opposing captain, who did not respond; pillaged as far as Acerra territory. Forced to withdraw upon arrival of 3,600 cavalry led by Cecco dal Borgo, Barbiano and Onofrio Pesce. | |||
| Aug.–Sept. | Lazio | At Fondi to meet Onorato Gaetani, supporter of the Antipope; in September reported at Angri. | |||
| 1394 | |||||
| Apr. | Campania | Remained engaged in the defense of Naples; prevented the Durazzo fleet from landing troops. | |||
| Jun.–Aug. | Campania | Stationed at Amalfi; returned to Naples in August. | |||
| 1395 | |||||
| Spring | Campania | Sought in marriage from the Duke of Sessa Giacomo di Marzano the daughter Maria on behalf of Louis II of Anjou. | |||
| 1396 | |||||
| May | Milan | Campania and Lazio | Forced to leave Naples by the San Severino; obtained safe-conduct and stayed several days at Gaeta. Entered service of Duke of Milan Gian Galeazzo Visconti, who granted him estates yielding 1,000 florins, a monthly stipend of 300 florins and ownership of a Milanese palace valued at 4,000 florins. | ||
| …………. | France | In service of King Charles VII. | |||
| 1403 | |||||
| Jan. | Lombardy | In Milan. Present at Niccolò da Uzzano’s declaration regarding the alleged poisoning of Emperor Robert of Bavaria. | |||
| Feb. | |||||
| Granted ducal powers for a new Franco-Milanese political agreement. Renewed oath to Duke Giovanni Maria Visconti. In compensation for his credits received possession of Casei Gerola, rented for 425 florins per year; also enjoyed another annual stipend of 300 florins. | |||||
| 1409 | |||||
| May | Piedmont | Appointed by the new Duke Charles of Orléans as Governor of Asti in place of Bernardo della Serra. | |||
| 1415 | Died. |
Sources
-“Abilissimo uomo di guerra.” CUTOLO
-“Superbo uomo…gli animi di tutti disgustava”. PETRONI
-“E’ un uomo prestigioso, che gode appoggi alla corte di Francia ed in buoni rapporti con l’antipapa Clemente VII, essendone il nipote.” CIUCCIOVINO
Featured image: wikimedia
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