Roberto da San Severino between the Gonzaga and d’Avalos Alliances
Roberto da San Severino (Roberto Ambrogio da San Severino). Count of Caiazzo. Lord of Colorno, Biandrate, and Pontecurone. Son of Giovan Francesco da San Severino; nephew of Federico Gonzaga da Bozzolo, Gaspare da San Severino, and Galeazzo da San Severino. Cousin of Alfonso d’Avalos. Godfather to a son of Sigismondo Malatesta. Knight of the Order of Saint Michael.
Born: 1500
Death: 1532, March
| Year, Month | State, Comp. ventura | Opponent | Command | Area of Activity | Actions Undertaken and Other Salient Facts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1516 | He marries a niece of Pope Leo X, daughter of Franceschetto Cybo, sister of the cardinal of the same name, sister-in-law of the marchioness of Massa and of the duke of Camerino (dowry of 16,000 ducats). | ||||
| 1518 | |||||
| Apr.–May | France | He is at Amboise for the baptism of a son of King Francis I of France. He takes part in a joust organized to solemnize the event. | |||
| 1519 | |||||
| Oct. | Lazio | In Rome, to marry a sister of Cardinal Cybo who brings him a dowry of 16,000 ducats. | |||
| 1520 | |||||
| Sept. | Campania | He takes part in a tournament proclaimed in Naples by the Duchess of Bari Isabella of Aragon (Isabella d’Aragona) to celebrate the birth of a nephew. | |||
| ……… | He serves in the companies of Giovanni de’ Medici. | ||||
| 1521 | France | Empire, Church | Emilia | He is left to guard Parma by Federico Gonzaga da Bozzolo. The papal forces advance from Piacenza toward him; Alessandro Vitelli and Girolamo Colonna appear at the gates with a cavalry ensign followed at a short distance by Vitello Vitelli with men-at-arms; the two condottieri seize a gate by means of a stratagem; the city rises in favor of the Papal State. | |
| 1524 | Lazio | He is confined to Rome for having ordered the killing of the rural constable (bargello di campagna) of Parma. He is pardoned the same year. | |||
| 1526 | |||||
| Feb. | Emilia | He is at Colorno with Federico Gonzaga da Bozzolo. He is present at the conclusion of a general peace signed by the Dovara on one side and the Moreschi and the Chiozzi on the other, who with their disputes and murders have torn apart the social life of Casalmaggiore. | |||
| Mar. | Empire | France, Venice, Church | Captain general of light cavalry; 200 light cavalry; 1,200 infantry | Emilia | He obtains command of the imperial light cavalry; under his orders serve 200 light cavalry and 1,200 infantry. He moves along the Po toward Fiorenzuola d’Arda. |
| June | Lombardy | He leaves Castelleone with 100 light cavalry and 50 musketeers and reaches Cavenago d’Adda. The papal forces order him to leave imperial service on pain of being declared a rebel of Parma; he moves to Pizzighettone with 300 light cavalry and ravages Venetian territory. He transfers to Milan. | |||
| July | Lombardy | After the capitulation of the Castello Sforzesco, he escorts the Duke of Milan Francesco Sforza to the Venetian camp with 100 cavalry. | |||
| Aug. | Lombardy | Together with Luigi Rodomonte Gonzaga he accompanies Sigismondo Malatesta to Lambrate, where the latter is to fight a duel with Ludovico Vistarini. | |||
| Sept. | 200 light cavalry | Lombardy | Still garrisoning Milan. | ||
| Oct. | Lombardy | During this period he becomes the lover of Countess of Challant Bianca Maria Gaspardone. The woman urges him to avenge her against Ardizzino Valperga, her former lover. San Severino procrastinates, unwilling to carry out the murder. Pietro di Cardona then takes his place in the countess’s affections. The condottiere, seeing himself supplanted by the new favourite, reconciles with the Spanish nobleman and vents his jealousy by speaking ill of the Challant at every opportunity. Pietro di Cardona ambushes the former suitor and kills him together with a brother. San Severino, mindful of the original request, goes to the governor of Milan, the Constable of Bourbon, and accuses the woman of being the instigator of the assassination. The two lovers are imprisoned in the Castello Sforzesco. The Challant, subjected to torture, confesses everything and is beheaded at the end of October in the ravelin of the same castle. The affair will inspire the imagination of numerous writers, among them Matteo Bandello and, in 1800, Giuseppe Giacosa with his work La signora di Challant. | |||
| Nov. | Lombardy | The Constable of Bourbon sends him ahead as a scout to facilitate the march of Georg von Frundsberg‘s Landsknechts, who are in difficulties. | |||
| Dec. | 400 light cavalry; 400 infantry | Lombardy and Emilia | He is reported at Stradella; he moves into the Voghera area with 2,000 infantry and 200 light cavalry to wrest certain localities from the dal Verme. He attacks Broni twice and is wounded in one thigh; he is reported at Bereguardo with Ludovico Barbiano da Belgioioso; from there he reaches Fiorenzuola d’Arda to link up with the Landsknechts. On the Po at Castel San Giovanni he organizes an ambush to seize some boats carrying merchandise; he enters Rivalta at night with 400 cavalry and 400 Spanish arquebusiers and plunders a company of 100 light cavalry and an infantry company commanded by Girolamo Giorgio, who is likewise taken prisoner. He crosses the river and halts near Piacenza, where he joins up with the Landsknechts. | ||
| 1527 | |||||
| Jan. | Emilia | With his 400 light cavalry and 400 arquebusiers he raids through the Piacenza territory. He carries off from the area a large quantity of grain and numerous head of livestock to supply Pavia and Milan. Against him come 300 light cavalry of Marquis Michelantonio di Saluzzo. Roberto da San Severino prefers to withdraw; he passes again through Castel San Giovanni, Rivalta Trebbia, and Pontenure, where with 200 light cavalry he clashes with Claudio Rangoni. A skirmish ensues; he withdraws when he realizes that his opponent is escorted by 5 infantry banners. He goes to Pavia to complain to the Constable of Bourbon about the delay in pay. | |||
| Feb. | Church | Empire | Emilia and Piedmont | He returns to Pontenure, where he captures (80 cavalry against 40 stradiots) Giorgio Busicchio. In the same days the Constable of Bourbon strips him of the captaincy of light cavalry to give it to the Prince of Orange; the latter summons him to the Trebbia for a meeting. Roberto da San Severino waits in vain. This further inflames his anger; he then goes to Borgo San Donnino (Fidenza). The papal commissary Francesco Guicciardini promises him a condotta of 100 men-at-arms in wartime and 50 in peacetime. He deserts with his men and enters Parma: he is also guaranteed an income equivalent to that of the county of Caiazzo, which is promptly confiscated from him by Emperor Charles V. He is at Casale Monferrato for the death of Archbishop San Severino; he crosses the Po and returns near Fiorenzuola d’Arda with Sigismondo Malatesta at the head of many light cavalry and 16 banners of Italian infantry. He reaches Colorno with 400 cavalry and 800 arquebusiers to cut off the Landsknechts from Mezzano Superiore as they are leaving the Piacenza area. | |
| Mar. | Emilia | He proceeds to guard Bologna with Melchiorre Ramazzotto; he attempts to suborn some stradiots serving in the opposing camp; he clashes with the imperialists at San Giovanni in Persiceto, where he is saved by the intervention of the Venetian stradiots of the proveditor Andrea Civran. With Giovanni Naldi he takes some prisoners to obtain first-hand information on the movements of the enemy army; together with Guido Vaina he escorts Cesare Fieramosca, who is leaving the Bologna area after having fruitlessly attempted to persuade the Constable of Bourbon to abandon the planned march on Florence and Rome. He has a further skirmish with the imperialists. | |||
| Apr. | Romagna, Tuscany, Umbria | At Imola; his men take lodgings in the district of San Matteo, which is promptly sacked; he arrives at Ravenna with 400 cavalry and 2,000 infantry when the Landsknechts are about to leave the Bologna area. He moves to Florence with Federico Gonzaga da Bozzolo and Francesco Maria della Rovere when the city rebels against the Medici. He is dispatched with Guido Rangoni toward Rome (500 cavalry and 5,000–8,000 Florentine and papal infantry) to forestall the forces of the Constable of Bourbon. He wastes time at San Casciano in Val di Pesa and San Giovanni Valdarno due to disorders among the infantry of the Black Bands, the Venetians, and the French; the march proceeds slowly through Cortona, Castiglione del Lago, and Orvieto. | |||
| May | Lazio | He arrives in Rome at the Ponte Salario. The city is already being plundered by the Landsknechts. He withdraws. | |||
| June | Malatesta | Rimini | Lazio, Umbria, and Romagna | Owing to the delay in pay he departs with Guido Rangoni from the camp at Vetralla to return to Emilia with 100 light cavalry and 2,000 infantry; before leaving he goes with his men to the camp of Francesco Guicciardini, from whom, after threatening him with death, he extorts 400 ducats. He moves his troops toward Viterbo, halts at Sutri with 40 cavalry, and again awaits Guicciardini with the intention (perhaps) of killing him for the many promises that have been broken; the intervention of Paolo Luzzasco causes him to change his mind. He turns his attention to the Perugia area; assaults on 3 castles in the surrounding countryside are repulsed with several losses among his infantry. He moves with Sigismondo Malatesta toward Rimini and restores the latter to the lordship of the city; he then continues to Parma. He is contacted by the Venetians. | |
| July | Emilia | At Traversetolo with 200 cavalry to lay an ambush for the imperial commissioners arrived to take possession of Parma and Piacenza following the pope’s surrender. | |||
| Aug. | Venice | Empire | Veneto | He goes to Venice, where he is lodged at La Maddalena; he meets Doge Andrea Gritti; he is granted a condotta of 1,000 infantry and 150 light cavalry; 2,000 ducats are immediately given to him to muster the men of his companies. | |
| Sept. | 150 light cavalry and 1,000 infantry | Lombardy | Urged by Giano Fregoso, he reaches the camp at Melegnano with his men; he then moves to San Donato Milanese. He carries out several raids under the walls of Milan to provoke the adversaries into battle. | ||
| Oct. | Lombardy | He takes part in the conquest and sack of Pavia: it is rumoured that the owners of a palace paid him 15,000 ducats to protect its occupants, and that he found 2,000 ducats hidden in a well. Despite these gains, by mid-month he has only 200 infantry left, the rest having deserted owing both to the delay in pay and to the rich plunder that many have come to possess. From Milan, 2,000 infantry and 50 lances with 4 artillery pieces set out toward Abbiategrasso; Roberto da San Severino is sent against the town with 100 men-at-arms, 100 light cavalry, and 100 arquebusiers. Abbiategrasso falls to the imperialists; San Severino moves to the camp at Landriano and from there attacks the same town in turn with the French and Venetians. The centre is sacked; he enters the castle with Cesare Fregoso and takes many prisoners. In a raid he captures several infantry soldiers and recovers some artillery pieces previously seized from the troops of Giano Fregoso by the Spanish. | |||
| Dec. | 150 light cavalry and 660 infantry | Lombardy | At the head of 100 light cavalry he persists in his raids through the Milan area. He joins Cesare Fregoso and Alberto Scotti (200 cavalry, both light and men-at-arms) to strike at Milan or at least to draw out the Sforza partisans from the city; in one engagement 60 Spanish soldiers are killed. He is nonetheless forced to return to camp owing to a prompt sortie by the infantry of Antonio di Leyva. | ||
| 1528 | |||||
| Jan. | Lombardy | At Cassano d’Adda for the review of his men. He raids toward Monza and Trezzo sull’Adda with 500 infantry; he enters the town by force while most of the defenders take refuge in the castle. Ten Spanish soldiers are killed and another ten are captured along with numerous townspeople. On both occasions the plunder in terms of livestock seized and fodder taken from their rightful owners is considerable. With Giovanni Battista da Castro he carries out a raid toward Como and Milan; he is sent to retake Peschiera Borromeo with 100 light cavalry, 50 lances, and 50 mounted arquebusiers; near the town he captures 16 Landsknechts belonging to Colonel Gaspare Frundsberg. He takes part in a council of war with the proveditor general Tommaso Moro. | |||
| Feb. | Lombardy | He storms Bellusco, whose inhabitants refused to admit the League’s arquebusiers; with Giovanni Battista da Castro and Claudio Rangoni he moves once more toward Milan. He deliberately allows himself to be pursued by 60 men-at-arms and 450 infantry (Spanish and Landsknechts) escorting a supply train; he leads them to Rho, where 400 infantry commanded by Toso da Collalto and Geremia Naldi have laid an ambush. The adversaries retreat into a nearby house and under cover of night are able to return to Milan. In the combat his standard-bearer is wounded and his horse is killed; among the imperialists 15 men-at-arms and 130 infantry, mostly Landsknechts, are killed; 60 Spanish soldiers with their captain Diego Raines are also captured (among the Venetians: 30 dead and 10 wounded). In mid-month his men take prisoner a light cavalry lieutenant. He moves again with Giovanni Battista da Castro toward Milan and encounters with only 30 cavalry 2 bands of Spanish men-at-arms. Antonio di Leyva retakes Melzo; Roberto da San Severino engages him; in a skirmish, again conducted with Giovanni Battista da Castro, 15 cavalry (men-at-arms and light cavalry combined) are captured along with the captain Pedreno. He prepares an ambush with 200 arquebusiers positioned between Monza and Pioltello; his plan having been discovered by the enemy, he sends 25 arquebusiers toward Monza. These encounter stiffer resistance than expected, so San Severino must intervene with his light cavalry. Among the imperialists there are 10 dead; among the Venetians, 5: in the engagement his horse is wounded. | |||
| Mar. | Lombardy | He rides through the Monte di Brianza; he clashes with the imperial cavalry; he captures Teodoro Musacchio, who is brought to the camp with fifteen light cavalry. He subsequently links up with Paolo Luzzasco (200 cavalry and many arquebusiers); he carries out a raid at Olginate, where he captures 12 men. He learns of a supply convoy (150–200 loads) bound for the camp at Pioltello under an escort of 80 infantry: he pursues it and seizes the convoy, arriving at the camp at Cassano d’Adda with 10,000 loaves of bread. To ease imperial pressure in the upper Bergamo area he moves again toward Olginate with Luzzasco, the light cavalry, and 200 arquebusiers: in the action Battistino da Castelnuovo is captured along with many infantry. A squadron of 8 of his cavalry with some arquebusiers also surprises a supply convoy near Monza: 33 loads are taken and 25 arquebusiers are killed. At the end of the month, again with Luzzasco and Giovanni Battista da Castro, he raids once more near Milan. | |||
| Apr. | The Council of the Savi raises to 1,000 the number of infantry at his disposal and increases his condotta by a further 100 light cavalry; his conduct in various engagements is praised by the collateral general Giovanni Andrea di Prato and by the proveditor general Tommaso Moro. Roberto da San Severino continues his incursions between Lodi and Milan, captures several merchants, and appropriates plunder estimated at 12,000–15,000 ducats; at the end of the month further raids follow in the Milan area with Luzzasco. | ||||
| May | 150 light cavalry and 852 infantry | Lombardy | He leaves the camp at Cassano d’Adda with Luzzasco: the river in flood prevents him from crossing the border to lay an ambush for 500 infantry and 150 cavalry that have left Milan. He takes part at Caravaggio in a council of war with the captain general of the Serenissima, the Duke of Urbino Francesco Maria della Rovere, Giano Fregoso, the Duke of Milan Francesco Sforza, Tommaso Moro, and other captains, to define the plan for confronting the Landsknechts of the Duke of Brunswick (15,000 infantry and 1,200 cavalry). He is sent on reconnaissance first toward Milan, then toward Verona; he is recalled to Cassano d’Adda owing to the defection of Luzzasco. He reaches Bergamo and clashes several times with the German rearguard; he attacks the adversaries at Bagnolo Mella with some light cavalry of Cesare Fregoso and captures 14 cavalry along with 3 captains. | ||
| June | Lombardy, Piedmont | In the defence of Bergamo with 700 infantry. When the imperialists take up positions between Brignano Gera d’Adda and Pandino, he attacks at the head of 50 cavalry with Giovanni Battista da Castro the company of the Burgundian Zuchero: there are some losses among the Venetians; among the enemy, 30 cavalry are taken prisoner along with Zuchero’s lieutenant. He threatens to leave Venetian service when two of his men are arrested at Crema by the city’s podestà Luca Loredan and subjected to torture, by way of punishment, with several strappado turns. Pacified, he is sent by Francesco Maria della Rovere to garrison Cremona. He meets Duke Francesco Sforza; he moves to Pizzighettone. Della Rovere initially assigns him to the enterprise against Genoa; he reconsiders and instead gives him the task of supporting on the Adda the action of Annibale Picenardi, who is moving from the Po toward the Alessandria area. San Severino thus leaves Pizzighettone with 2,000 infantry and his light cavalry to strike at Alessandria and meet the French relief forces led by Saint-Pol; at the same time he also has the task of defending Genoa from possible attacks. | |||
| July | Emilia and Piedmont | He crosses the Po at Cremona; with his action he forces Luigi Gonzaga, Pirro Gonzaga da Bozzolo, and Piermaria dei Rossi to retreat to Piacenza; passing through Cortemaggiore, Fiorenzuola d’Arda, Lugugnano Val d’Arda, Badia dei Rossi, Bardi, Gravago, and Borgo Val di Taro he reaches Cortenuova; he crosses the Val di Tidone, passes through Tabiano and Zavattarello, always accompanied by the Venetian ambassador Francesco Contarini. He reaches Alessandria, Castellazzo, and San Salvatore Monferrato with 250 light cavalry and 2,000 infantry, devastating the territories he passes through. He informs the Marchioness of Montferrat Anna of Alençon (Anna d’Alençon) and her son Bonifacio that if the estate of Archbishop San Severino (of which he is the heir), confiscated by Antonio di Leyva, is not restored to him, he will put the entire region to fire and sword: to appease him, 2,500 scudi are promised, of which 1,500 immediately. | |||
| Aug. | Lombardy | He crosses the Adda with Francesco Maria della Rovere. He assaults enemy quarters. At the camp at Torretta; with Claudio Rangoni, Bosio Sforza, Giovanni Naldi, and Costantino Boccali he protects the march of the Venetian army heading toward San Zenone al Lambro. Again with Claudio Rangoni he discovers at Bissone an ambush laid by 600 arquebusiers; he forces the enemy to flee (30 infantry killed and some light cavalry captured; losses of 2 cavalry for the Venetians and French). | |||
| Sept. | Lombardy | He supports Saint-Pol and Francesco Maria della Rovere in the conquest of Pavia, defended by 2,400 men (2,000 between Landsknechts and Italians, 200 Spanish infantry, and 200 cavalry). Feverish, he takes part personally in the assault. His infantry move from the Ticino toward the Porta di Santa Giustina, enter the bastion, and kill all the defenders: their conduct is praised by Della Rovere. Among the imperialists 600 men are killed and very many are captured; among the Venetians there are 50 dead and as many wounded. He lays siege to the castle and forces its commander Aponte to surrender within a few days. | |||
| Oct. | Lombardy | Having recovered from the tertian fever, he accompanies Francesco Maria della Rovere at Sannazzaro de’ Burgondi when the Venetian captain general holds a meeting with Saint-Pol there. | |||
| Nov. | Lombardy | He is stationed at the gates of Milan; near the city he encounters Landsknechts escorting a supply convoy from Monza (40 imperial dead); he then strikes at Monza and captures 15 Spanish cavalry. | |||
| Dec. | Lombardy | Encamped at Treviglio; in a new decree the Council of the Savi grants him command of 1,500 infantry, the condotta of light cavalry that he already holds in wartime (50 cavalry in peacetime), and an annual allowance of 1,500 ducats; the term of service is set at two years plus one of reserve. Four hundred Landsknechts and 50 Spanish light cavalry leave Milan heading for Monza. Roberto da San Severino links up with Toso da Collalto, leaves Rivolta d’Adda, and prepares an ambush by sending twenty arquebusiers ahead to Bettola. The Venetians take refuge in a house where they are besieged by the adversaries: the imperialists are attacked from behind by 75 cavalry and 300 arquebusiers. Among the enemy, 120 men are killed, 200 infantry and 40 cavalry are captured along with 2 Landsknecht captains, the commander of the light cavalry, and other officers. He enters Vimercate and sacks the town: a Spanish commissary and one of Gian Giacomo de’ Medici are taken prisoner. In the same days his men capture with 15 soldiers the castellan of Monza, who has fallen into an ambush nearby. | |||
| 1529 | |||||
| Feb. | Lombardy | He has hanged and the body burned of a woman living in his soldiers’ quarters who had murdered twelve of his men in order to steal their earnings. With some cavalry he surprises at Paullo 30 Spanish arquebusiers: these fortify themselves in a bell tower from which they are forced out by fire and smoke set around it. He has them killed, even though they have surrendered, to take revenge on Antonio di Leyva: the Spanish captain had not only refused to release one of his men after stripping him of his weapons, but had also demanded the release of a Spanish castellan (subject to a ransom). | |||
| Mar. | Lombardy | At Rivolta d’Adda he responds to a surprise attack by 200 arquebusiers: the imperialists are repulsed with heavy losses (80 dead between those killed in combat and those drowned, and many prisoners; among the Venetians, 3 dead). He reaches Orzinuovi with 800 cavalry. | |||
| Apr. | Lombardy | Owing to the delay in pay for his infantry he opposes Giano Fregoso‘s plan to attack Cassano d’Adda: his men instead set fire to some houses at Cazzago San Martino. Roberto da San Severino takes no action against them. | |||
| May | Lombardy | His cavalry intercept 40–50 Spanish arquebusiers coming from Peschiera Borromeo. He returns to the camp at Pozzuolo Martesana, thrown into confusion by a general brawl among soldiers of various nationalities. He throws himself among the Swiss infantry and the Italian infantry, all in Venetian service (including his own regiment led by Sigismondo Malatesta); he tries to separate the combatants. He succeeds in his aim even though 5–6 Swiss are killed: he also proposes (at least in words) to keep his troops from plundering the local population; he prevents the desertion of 100 Swiss. He leaves Pozzuolo Martesana and reaches Melzo to join the French; he arrives at the camp of Melegnano. With Cesare Fregoso he repulses an enemy sortie, pressing once again to the gates of Milan. | |||
| June | 969 infantry | Lombardy | Again with Cesare Fregoso he clashes with the imperialists near Cassano d’Adda (10 cavalry and 30 Landsknechts killed among the adversaries, 60 cavalry wounded; among the Venetians, 10 cavalry killed). Following Saint-Pol‘s defeat at Landriano he abandons Cassano d’Adda and moves to Lodi. He then escorts Francesco Sforza to Crema and moves to Trezzo sull’Adda: he raids the territory, captures 40–50 Spanish soldiers, and seizes various plunder. | ||
| July | Veneto and Lombardy | He obtains from Francesco Maria della Rovere permission to go to Venice, where he lodges at San Trovaso in the palace of the proveditor general Paolo Nani. He complains to the College of the Pregadi about his situation; he requests that his peacetime condotta be made equal to the wartime one and an increase of his allowance from 1,500 to 4,000 ducats per year. The Council of the Savi initially rejects his demands; after an extensive debate it is decided to accept the first condition and to raise his allowance to 3,000 ducats per year, plus a further 1,200 ducats as prizes for the cavalry that most distinguish themselves in military actions. Having returned to camp, he supports Della Rovere, Cesare Fregoso, Ambrogio da Landriano, and Antonio da Castello in a raid with 600 arquebusiers, 200 pikemen, and 250 light cavalry to surprise the enemy cavalry. The imperialists are beaten with 50 dead and 40 cavalry wounded, 5–6 captains taken prisoner including a nephew of Antonio di Leyva; Venetian losses are more limited. Meanwhile his men refuse half-pay. The College urges him to exert appropriate pressure in this regard: every attempt on his part proves fruitless. At the end of the month he repulses adversaries attacking the camp at Cassano d’Adda; he then raids with 25 light cavalry and 250 infantry toward Gorgonzola. On the return journey he falls into an ambush in which he is wounded in one arm. Among the Venetians, Teodoro Stretino is captured with 20 cavalry and 25 arquebusiers are killed. | |||
| Aug. | 250 light cavalry and 850 infantry | Lombardy | He escorts supply convoys to the camp; near Treviglio he encounters some cavalry. He pursues them and falls into a second ambush prepared by 600 arquebusiers; he engages the adversaries commanded by Zuchero and captures 8–10 cavalry; among his own men his lieutenant Pozzo is taken prisoner along with two cavalry. He repulses a raid toward Monza by 400 Spanish infantry, 400 Landsknechts, and 400 Italian infantry; he then grants a safe-conduct to the enemy captain Cristoforo Tornielli and 30 soldiers so that he can go to Milan to be treated for an illness; he is left by Della Rovere to garrison Bergamo with his 250 cavalry and 6,000 infantry. | ||
| Sept. | Lombardy and Veneto | He leaves Bergamo and, with Cesare Fregoso and Sigismondo Malatesta, forces the imperialists to abandon Carpenedolo. He is transferred to Brescia with Cesare Fregoso; with 2,000 infantry and some cavalry he clashes at Manerba del Garda with the Landsknechts: these are forced to fall back to Lonato. He continues with 300 cavalry toward Verona to organize an ambush at Valeggio sul Mincio; he is instead surprised by 1,000 cavalry, 600 arquebusiers, and 100 mounted musketeers commanded by Felice di Werdenberg, coming from Lonato. He is routed; he considers hiding in a copse and cuts some branches to pass himself off as a peasant and cross the enemy lines at night. Discovered, he flees on a nag; pursued, he is captured by 4 cavalry of Luigi Gonzaga (one of them from Calvisano, another an outlaw from Brescia), who take him to Valeggio sul Mincio. He promises them 2,000 ducats and with them reaches Peschiera del Garda and Salò. He leaves the locality and joins Sigismondo Malatesta at Sant’Eufemia della Fonte. | |||
| Oct. | Lombardy | The Council of the Savi sends him the 2,000 ducats paid for his ransom. Roberto da San Severino returns to Bergamo; days later he captures at Ghedi 25 Burgundian and German cavalry. | |||
| Nov. | Lombardy | He is appointed governor of Bergamo. He receives orders from Della Rovere to demolish the Borgo Canale quarter together with the Landsknechts in Venetian service: the soldiers mutiny and sack part of the city as far as the monastery of Santa Chiara; they then continue (aided by his indifference) in their destructive course, plundering the monasteries of San Gottardo and San Luca, where some crucifixes are burned. San Severino, perhaps to make amends, with sudden zeal in the same days has 2 captains hanged who surrendered Cassano d’Adda without resistance; he also suppresses a major brawl between Swiss and Landsknechts and runs a German captain through the pikes on a charge of treason. He has other German officers executed for the same reason; he sends his light cavalry into the Val Seriana and to Gandino. At the end of the month comes the thunderbolt: with the signing of peace the Council of the Savi, after lengthy debate, decides to dismiss him for the sackings, abuses, and arsons committed by his men at Bergamo and in the Bergamo area; charges of collusion with Luzzasco are also levelled. | |||
| 1530 | |||||
| Jan. | Lombardy and Veneto | He is informed of his dismissal by the proveditor Paolo Nani; with his captains and many men he goes to Venice to justify himself. He is made to leave after a week, having failed in his purpose. His arguments are rejected by the doge. | |||
| Feb. | Emilia | In Bologna for the coronation of Charles V, which takes place in the church of San Petronio. | |||
| Mar.–May | His conduct is sharply criticised in the College by the former proveditor general Giovanni Dolfin and partially defended, in the same forum, by Paolo Nani. | ||||
| 1531 | |||||
| July | France | He enters the service of the King of France with a condotta of 200 light cavalry and 3,000 infantry in wartime and an annual allowance of 3,000 francs. | |||
| Oct. | Lombardy | He meets at Gropello Cairoli the Marquis of Mantua Federico Gonzaga, who is heading to Montferrat. | |||
| Dec. | Lombardy and Emilia | He accompanies the Marquis of Vasto Alfonso d’Avalos at Casalmaggiore and Cortemaggiore. | |||
| 1532 | |||||
| Mar. | He goes to Busseto to meet Marquis Girolamo Pallavicini; he dies suddenly during the night after a banquet. Some speak of poison; more probably his death is due to an epileptic seizure, as his body is found with his tongue rolled between his teeth. He is buried at Busseto in the church of San Bartolomeo in the tomb of the Pallavicini. Upon his death Cardinal Salviati commends his widow and daughters. The women will later be invested with the fief of Colorno as dowry credit. San Severino is commemorated in the Rime burlesche of Francesco Berni. |
Sources
-“Era stimato il Sanseverino uno de’ più valorosi, e prudenti Capitani, che si avesse allora l’Italia.” POGGIALI
-“Giovane ferocissimo.” MURATORI
-“Si dimostrò di tanto giuditio e così bravo nelle fattioni nelle consulte e in tutte l’altre attioni importantissime e difficili della militia, che favellandosi del conte di Caiazzo, s’intendeva per eccellenza di lui.” SANSOVINO
-“Valentissimo ufficiale.” A. ZENO
-“Personaggio nell’arte della guerra stimatissimo.” SELETTI
-“Nella breve carriera del conte di Caiazzo, una vera carriera militare, misurabile in ragione di aumento della condotta e della provvigione personale, e anche del conseguimento di una carica di un certo rilievo, quella di capitano delle fanterie veneziane (1529), ma tronca (muore a 32 anni), gli elementi messi in primo piano dai contemporanei sono valore e “bravaria”. “Achilles apud Iberos” e più tardi “manu promptus et bello acer” lo definisce il Carpesano, disegnando nei suoi Commentarii una figura non dissimile da quella di Giovanni dalle Bande Nere, eroe soprattutto, ma non soltanto, di quella guerra di scaramucce, cavalcate e imboscate che suscita l’impazienza di un osservatore come Francesco Guicciardini e di qualche provveditore veneziano, ma che appare di fatto tenuta in gran considerazione dagli stati committenti, e tanta parte ha nei dispacci registrati nei Diari di Sanudo..Caiazzo non parla il linguaggio né del venturiero né del libero signore, ma assume in pieno l’attitudine del condottiere dipendente: nel passare da un esercito all’altro è attento a “partirsi con onore”, con regolare protesta, per salvaguardare il suo onore e anche le sue possibilità di impiego.” ARCANGELI
-“Voi, domini imbarcati,/Renzo (di Ceri), Andrea d’Oria e Conte di Caiazzo,/ vi menarete tutti quanti il cazzo;/il papa andrà a sollazzo/ il sabbato alla vigna o a Belvedere/e sguazzarà che sarà un piacere./ Voi starete a vedere/che è e che non è, una mattina/ci sarà fatto a tutti una schiavina.” BERNI
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