Vitello Vitelli and the Black Bands: Defending Italy in 1527
VITELLO VITELLI, of Città di Castello. Count of Montone. Lord of Mercatello sul Metauro and of Apecchio. The natural son of Camillo Vitelli, father of Camillo Vitelli, cousin of Giovanni Vitelli and Chiappino Vitelli, and son-in-law of Troilo dei Rossi.
Born: 1480
Death: 1528, May
| Year, Month | State, Comp. ventura | Opponent | Command | Area of Activity | Actions Undertaken and Other Salient Facts |
| 1500 | |||||
| Aug. | Umbria | He is by chance in Pantalla, near Perugia, when he is joined by Giampaolo Baglioni, who escaped the previous night from the massacre of his family organized by Carlo Baglioni and Girolamo dalla Penna. He helps the latter return to Perugia to exact his revenge. | |||
| 1503 | |||||
| ……. | Umbria and Tuscany | For fear of the papal forces, he must abandon Città di Castello; he takes refuge with his uncle Giulio Vitelli and cousin Giovanni Vitelli, first in Perugia and then in Siena as a guest of Pandolfo Petrucci. He withdraws to Pitigliano with Niccolò Orsini, while his uncle Giulio Vitelli reaches Venice to gather the troops necessary to oppose the papal forces. | |||
| Oct. | Malatesta | Church | Romagna | He joins Giovanni Rossetto; at the head of militias from Città di Castello and Perugia, he assists Pandolfaccio Malatesta in recovering Rimini. He is stationed near that center. | |
| 1504 | |||||
| Jan. | Umbria | He recovers the government of Città di Castello by force. With his cousin Giovanni, he has their relative, Antonio Iacopo, killed for siding with the Papal States. | |||
| 1505 | Umbria | Due to the fears raised in Città di Castello by a severe famine, he is tasked with maintaining order in the city. | |||
| 1507 | |||||
| Nov. | Venice | He is engaged by the Venetians for one year of firm service and one of respect. He is granted a command (condotta) of 100 mounted crossbowmen or arquebusiers in wartime and 25 in peacetime; he is granted an annual provision of 300 or 100 ducats depending on the two cases. | |||
| 1508 | |||||
| …….. | 70 light horse | Lombardy | In Treviglio. | ||
| Mar. | Venice | Austria | Lombardy, Trentino, and Veneto | Transferred to the defense of Brentonico, towards Rovereto; upon the advance of numerous German infantry, he abandons the fortified positions with Iacopo Corso and Dionigi Naldi (3000 infantry); after setting fire to numerous houses, he withdraws with them to Monte Baldo. | |
| June | Slovenia | With Franco dal Borgo and Rinieri della Sassetta, he falls into an ambush set by the Germans near Postojna (Predjama) in which 30 men are killed and another 100 infantry wounded among the Venetians. At the end of the war, the Council of Sages increases his command to 100 mounted crossbowmen. | |||
| July | Veneto | He goes to Venice. His recent actions are praised in the College of the Pregadi by the General Provider Giorgio Corner, who hosts him in his palace. He accompanies Bartolomeo d’Alviano in his solemn entry into the city and is present at the ceremony in San Marco where the banner and the staff of Governor General are delivered to that captain. In this year, his pay amounts to 1100 ducats. | |||
| 1509 | |||||
| Apr. | Venice | France | Lombardy | With Giustiniano Morosini and Vincenzo Naldi, he moves towards Treviglio to oppose the French under Chaumont. He believes the opponents are advancing in scattered order. Having sent 200 infantry and some stradiotti ahead, he clashes with part of the French; he pursues them to the ravelin of the gate; the rest of the French arrive and, after aiming their artillery, force him to surrender unconditionally. 100 light horse and 800 infantry are captured, almost all from Val di Lamone, as well as the provider Giustiniano Morosini and Vincenzo Naldi. 200 stradiotti escape; Bernardino di Montone is also able to disengage. Vitello Vitelli is taken prisoner to Milan. | |
| 1510 | |||||
| Feb. | Lombardy and Veneto | He is released through a prisoner exchange. With Vincenzo Naldi and Braccio di Montone, he arrives in Venice at the College where he is welcomed by Doge Leonardo Loredan. | |||
| Mar. Apr. | Veneto, Romagna, and Umbria | The Council of Sages grants him a command of 50 men-at-arms; not satisfied, he resigns. In April, he heads towards Ferrara; he is detained at Badia Polesine by the provider Giovanni Paolo Gradenigo for not having permission to leave the state. He returns to Venice and asks to re-enter the service of the Serenissima with Chiappino Vitelli in command of 150 men-at-arms: the proposal is accepted after a long consultation. The Council of Sages grants them the requested command with an annual salary of 15,000 ducats. The term is set at two years plus one of respect. Having immediately received 1500 ducats and letters of exchange in Rome for another 3000, he heads by sea to Rimini and from there reaches Città di Castello. | |||
| May | Venice | France, Ferrara | Marche | He leaves Umbria with the company of his cousin Chiappino Vitelli; in Pesaro. Some Venetian vessels are waiting for him to transport the troops to Chioggia. Vitello Vitelli also embarks at Pesaro with 36 horses. | |
| July | 107 lances | Veneto | In Chioggia. With his cousin Chiappino, he has 107 men-at-arms under his command. | ||
| Aug. | Veneto | He leaves the camp of Brentelle, near Padua. He is assigned to the colonnello of Lucio Malvezzi. | |||
| Sept. | Veneto | He is reported at San Martino Buon Albergo; he receives 1000 ducats and moves to the siege of Verona with Chiappino Vitelli: their companies distinguish themselves for their initiative. | |||
| Oct. | Veneto and Emilia | Alongside the General Provider Paolo Capello, with 90 lances and 50 mounted crossbowmen, he participates in the expedition to Polesine against the Este family. He meets with the General Captain of the Po, Giovanni Moro, at the island of Bonello to escort his flotilla to Polesella and Ficarolo. At Bondeno, with the provider of the stradiotti Federico Contarini, he prepares an ambush for 300 Este horsemen: he hides in a grove; 10 stradiotti advance as scouts and enter houses as if to loot. The opponents pursue them and fall into the ambush (7 dead and 100 prisoners). | |||
| Nov. | Church | France | Emilia | He opposes the French at Marano. | |
| Dec. | Emilia | He takes part in the siege of Mirandola: Pope Julius II (Giulio II) gives him and his cousin Chiappino the task of positioning the papal artillery, having lost confidence in Francesco Maria della Rovere and Fabrizio Colonna: immediately two large cannons join the fire of the Venetian batteries. | |||
| 1511 | |||||
| Jan. | Emilia | He is guarding Modena with 100 lances, 2000 light horse, and 2000 infantry. | |||
| Feb. Mar. | Emilia | He falls ill with typhus (febbre petecchiale), so much so that it is feared his career has come to an end. Having recovered, he is left guarding Mirandola; he moves to the siege of the bastion of Zaniolo/Genivolo. With the death of his cousin Chiappino Vitelli, he returns to the pay of the Venetians. | |||
| July | Venice | France, Empire | Veneto and Emilia | In Venice at the College. He goes to the camp of Montalbano with 108 men-at-arms, 64 mounted crossbowmen, and 257 provvigionati. | |
| Aug. | 86 lances and 51 light horse | Veneto | After the review of his men, he is put in charge of the defense of Treviso. He goes to Padua, to Venice at the College; he returns to Treviso. The militias under his command camp at Noale. The contribution of Vitello Vitelli to the city’s fortification works is highly praised in Venice. | ||
| Sept. | Veneto | His mounted crossbowmen are sent to Conegliano with those of Troilo Orsini; in Treviso, he is joined by 400 infantry from Mestre. Having recovered from a short illness, with Renzo di Ceri, he repels a sudden attack at the Porta di Santi Quaranta and Porta di San Tommaso, which ended with many losses among the Venetian stradiotti who attacked the opponents in a disorganized manner. He has a squad leader of Matteo da Zara and a lancia spezzata of Renzo di Ceri hanged after they came to blows in the square, causing serious disorder. | |||
| Oct. | 79 lances and 51 light horse | Veneto | He has a relapse of his illness; a mount kicks him in the thigh. Having recovered, he returns to the defense of Treviso; he is urged by the providers of Padua to pursue the opponents who have abandoned the siege operations of the city. Vitello Vitelli and Renzo di Ceri express a contrary opinion. Instead, he moves to Cadore with Costantino Paleologo (450 horse) to pursue 2000 Germans who are considered disbanded and are looting the territory. He reaches Ponte nelle Alpi and Pieve di Cadore; he obtains Belluno by agreement after appearing at night before the city with 600 horse, stradiotti, and mounted crossbowmen. He stays in the city castle; he heads to Cortina d’Ampezzo and there takes Cristoforo Calepino prisoner along with two other imperial captains and 40 infantry, who are released after being stripped of their weapons and belongings. The captains are sent as prisoners to Venice. | ||
| Nov. | Friuli and V. Giulia | He supports Renzo di Ceri in the latter’s expedition to Friuli aimed at reconquering that territory. He seizes Butistagno and takes back from the Germans the animals previously raided; he conquers Cormons and unsuccessfully attacks Gradisca d’Isonzo; due to the lack of defenses and provisions, he moves to Monfalcone. From here, he is sent with 800/900 infantry to Pontebba, Venzone, and Chiusaforte to support Girolamo Savorgnano in his offensive. He is asked to destroy the fortifications of Cormons: he does not execute this order. | |||
| Dec. | Friuli | He continues to besiege Gradisca d’Isonzo; in the end, with Renzo di Ceri and Troilo Orsini, he pressures to abandon the theater of operations. Pay is delayed, so the men are forced to live by robbery; provisions are lacking. The provider Giovanni Paolo Gradenigo accuses Vitello Vitelli of a raid carried out by his men with his consent on some houses in Flumignano. | |||
| 1512 | |||||
| Jan. | Friuli and Veneto | He is tasked with seizing Tolmezzo: his men refuse to move unless their demands are first met (they have not received pay for three and a half months). Giovanni Paolo Gradenigo accuses them of thefts and murders committed near Cividale del Friuli and in Faedo. Vitelli reaches Belgrade and is transferred to the Vicenza area. Before reaching the new destination, he appears with a fever at the College in Venice. | |||
| Mar. | Veneto | He returns to Venice at the College to obtain the arrears destined for his men. He has an interview with the Doge and returns to the field. At Bonavigo for the review of his men (85 lances and 61 light horse) held alongside Giampaolo Baglioni. | |||
| Apr. | Veneto, Lombardy | In Venice. He returns to the field only after receiving the requested money. In the Brescia area. With Guido Rangoni and Baldassarre di Scipione, he has command of one of the colonnelli besieging the capital. | |||
| June | Captain Gen. of Artillery | Veneto | At Albaredo d’Adige; from there he reaches Villafranca di Verona to join the Swiss allies. Under his command are 79 men-at-arms and 61 light horse. He crosses the Mincio, follows the provider Capello, and complains further about the delay in pay; he reaches Pizzighettone and builds a pontoon bridge over the Adda. | ||
| July | Piedmont, Lombardy | He is at the camp of Castellazzo; in Novi Ligure with Baglioni and Antonio Pio when a large number of Swiss leave Piedmont to return to their homes. He crosses the Po and heads for Casalmaggiore. | |||
| Aug. | Lombardy | He besieges Brescia with Baglioni. In Venice, despite some opposition, the Council of Sages grants him the command formerly held by his cousin Chiappino (150 lances), a term of one year plus one of respect, command of the artillery, and an annual provision of 700 ducats for ten payments per year. In Brescia, he positions two batteries on the mountain towards the castle and a third in front of Porta Pile: the work proceeds slowly due to both the rain disturbing operations and the lack of sappers. | |||
| Sept. | Milan, Empire | Florence | Lombardy, Tuscany | In Brescia. He personally directs the fire of the battery (6 cannons) bombarding the section of walls between the Torre dell’Erba and the Torlonga; he asks to go to Bologna to visit Giovanni Vitelli. He refuses the Venetian proposals, preferring to enter the service of the Duke of Milan, Maximilian Sforza (Massimiliano Sforza) (150 men-at-arms, 1500 ducat provision, and 15,000 ducats salary for his lances). Having been released, he goes to Florence; with Melchiorre Ramazzotto and Rinieri della Sassetta, he escorts Cardinal Giulio dei Medici into the city, who arrived to take possession of it; he occupies the square and forces the authorities to yield power into the hands of the prelate. He asks to be joined in Florence by his men; they leave Brescia stealthily, and Baglioni sends him the assets he owns in Vicenza. | |
| Oct. Dec. | Milan | 150 lances | Lombardy and Umbria | The Milanese adventure ends with his dismissal in December. In Città di Castello. He takes possession of Mercatello on behalf of the municipality. | |
| 1513 | |||||
| Dec. | Bartolomeo d’Alviano attempts to bring him back into the service of the Serenissima as General Captain of the Infantry. | ||||
| 1515 | |||||
| Mar. | Church | Siena | Tuscany | He supports the exiles of Siena and the Bishop of Grosseto, castellan of Castel Sant’Angelo, Raffaele Petrucci, to drive Borghese Petrucci out of Siena. He leaves Rome with 2000 infantry and 200 horse and breaks into the Sienese territory. | |
| May | Church | Milan | Liguria | He assists the Doge of Genoa Ottaviano Fregoso with 200 men-at-arms, who is threatened by the Duke of Milan, Maximilian Sforza (Massimiliano Sforza). | |
| June | Emilia | He is in Nonantola. | |||
| Aug. Sept. | Veneto and Emilia | He is reported at the Venetian camp of Badia Polesine alongside Alviano to be engaged by the Serenissima: the attempt fails, so in September, he is in Piacenza with the viceroy Raymond of Cardona (Raimondo di Cardona) and Lorenzo dei Medici. | |||
| 1516 | |||||
| Mar. | Church, Church | Siena, Urbino | Tuscany and Marche | With 2000 infantry and 200 horse, he again assists Raffaele Petrucci in his attempt to return to Siena against Borghese and Fabio Petrucci. He opposes Francesco Maria della Rovere; he occupies Maiolo, besieges San Leo, and enters Massa Trabaria via Lamoli. He camps at Castel Durante (Urbania). | |
| May June | Romagna and Marche | He operates around Rimini; in June, he moves towards Urbino: he reaches the Mola and enters the city. He attacks the Feltreschi forces in retreat at Montelabbate; he heads to Pesaro with 100 lances, 1000 infantry, and 100 light horse. He is appointed governor of the conquered territories; 500 lances, 200 light horse, and 2000 infantry serve under his command. | |||
| 1517 | |||||
| Jan. | Church | Comp. ventura | Romagna | He again faces della Rovere, who is intent on reconquering the Duchy of Urbino. He hires 2000 infantry and reaches Ravenna with Renzo di Ceri to block the opponents’ path: when della Rovere crosses the Po at Ostiglia, anticipating his plans, he embarks, again with Ceri, and moves to Rimini to defend that city. | |
| Feb. | Marche | He refuses to transfer to the guard of Urbino, where his uncle Giulio Vitelli goes instead. The city is easily reconquered by the opponents. | |||
| Mar. | Marche | In Pesaro. With Renzo di Ceri, he considers it risky to attack Barti where the Feltreschi are camped; he decides to pull back to seize Mombaroccio instead. Della Rovere believes the papal forces are retreating and intercepts them on the Metauro; he soon realizes the error and flees with his men in disorder to Tavernelle, abandoning the baggage trains along the way. Vitello Vitelli heads for Fossombrone, pursued by the protests of the General Captain Lorenzo dei Medici, who accuses him and Renzo di Ceri of not having exploited the opportunity and of having defrauded him of victory. | |||
| Apr. | Marche and Umbria | Armed clashes occur in the papal camp between Italian infantry (twenty killed), Germans (100), and Spaniards, which push Vitelli to leave Pesaro with Orsino Orsini for fear of reprisals against him. The legate, Cardinal of Bibbiena Bernardo Dovizi, who has taken command in place of the wounded Lorenzo dei Medici, separates the ecclesiastical troops, having them camp according to their origin in different quarters. Vitello Vitelli moves to Città di Castello with the Sisse (400 French lances) to monitor the movements of della Rovere and Carlo Baglioni, who are heading for Perugia. | |||
| May June | Umbria | He tails della Rovere from Città di Castello when the rival conducts his raids in Tuscany; in June, he enters Perugia with 150 lances, 300 mounted archers, and 500 infantry, and his presence prevents the city from falling to the opponents. Della Rovere heads to Fratta Todina; Vitello Vitelli takes the road to Lake Trasimeno for fear of some coup de main on Città di Castello. | |||
| Aug. | Marche and Tuscany | Defending Pesaro with 1500 lances. Peace negotiations begin between the contenders; della Rovere moves suddenly towards Tuscany; Vitelli leaves Ravenna with 200 horse and 3000 infantry to hinder his advance. The rival captain sends out 100 horse to check his reaction; Vitelli pursues them and, near Anghiari, falls into an ambush set by 6000 infantry in which Giovanni dei Medici and Zuchero are captured. | |||
| Sept. | Marche and Tuscany | In Città di Castello with 2000 men; he moves to the siege of San Leo, from which his assaults are repelled. In Florence to discuss the military situation. | |||
| 1518 | |||||
| Jan. Sept. | Umbria, Tuscany | In January, he is tasked with supervising the construction of a new city wall in Città di Castello after having the previous one demolished. In September, he is in Florence for the wedding of Lorenzo dei Medici with Madeleine de La Tour d’Auvergne (Maddalena de la Tour d’Auvergne). | |||
| Dec. | Umbria | At the beginning of the month, he is enfeoffed with the County of Montone by Pope Leo X (Leone X). He thus becomes lord of Apecchio, Mercatello sul Metauro, and other locations that once belonged to the territory of Città di Castello. | |||
| 1520 | |||||
| Mar. | Umbria | He is mobilized by the Pope to face Giampaolo Baglioni with Renzo di Ceri. He is sent to Perugia with Guido Vaina and 600 lances to support Gentile Baglioni in the lordship of the city. | |||
| 1521 | |||||
| July Aug. | Church | France, Ferrara | 100 lances | Emilia and Lombardy | He faces the French under the command of Prospero Colonna. He heads for Reggio Emilia. |
| Sept. | Emilia | He takes part in the siege of Parma; he supports Prospero Colonna when that captain decides to move away from the city: Lautrec is indeed approaching the Taro and Alfonso d’Este has positioned himself at Finale Emilia and San Felice sul Panaro. Vitelli is detached with 120 lances, 80 light horse, and 2000 infantry to the defense of Modena. | |||
| Oct. | Emilia | His men cross the Taro and loot a company of light horse that left Ravenna without permission; another 108 light horse that had disbanded suffer the same fate. His infantry, united with the Swiss in the Pope’s service, attack the Este camp at Finale Emilia and put the enemy to flight, who suffer significant losses. At the head of 200 lances, with Guido Rangoni and Melchiorre Ramazzotto, he conquers and sets fire to Bondeno: Alfonso d’Este, seized by panic, flees to Ferrara and has the pontoon bridge over the Po withdrawn. | |||
| Nov. | Lombardy and Emilia | He reaches Caravaggio. With the conquest of Milan by Prospero Colonna, he heads to Reggio Emilia with the Bishop of Pistoia, Pucci; he obtains Piacenza and Parma, the first having rebelled against the French and the second abandoned by Federico Gonzaga da Bozzolo. | |||
| Dec. | Florence | Comp. ventura | Emilia and Umbria | The Pope dies; Vitello Vitelli returns to Modena with Guido Rangoni to defend the city from the Este family. He is engaged by the Florentines, who send him with 120 lances and 100 light horse to guard Perugia, threatened by a new incursion from della Rovere, who now also enjoys the collaboration of Malatesta and Orazio Baglioni. He enters the city on Christmas Day. He is defeated in a skirmish. | |
| 1522 | |||||
| Jan. | Umbria | Francesco Maria della Rovere, Camillo Orsini, Malatesta, and Orazio Baglioni (200 lances, 300 light horse, and 5000 infantry) stop at Ponte San Giovanni and Bastia Umbra. Perugia is attacked from Borgo San Pietro, Porta Sole, and Porta Borgna; 7 pieces of artillery, provided by the Duke of Ferrara, silence the defenders’ cannons; an assault is led but repelled. Wounded in a toe of his right foot by an arquebus shot, Vitello Vitelli prefers to abandon the city at night with Gentile Baglioni. The defenders lose heart, and Perugia falls into the hands of the rivals. | |||
| Mar. | Florence | France | 100 lances | Tuscany, Lombardy | In Pisa with his company; some of his men-at-arms stay at the inn in Empoli, near the castle, which catches fire at night: five men sleeping in the stable with about fifteen mounts die suffocated by smoke. Vitello Vitelli continues to Marcaria and Reggio Emilia with Cardinal dei Medici (the future Pope Clement VII) to link up with Federico Gonzaga and the Duke of Bari, Francesco Sforza. |
| Apr. | Florence | Comp. ventura | Tuscany | He returns to Tuscany to oppose Ceri, who was pushed against Siena and Florence by Cardinal of Volterra Francesco Soderini. His company is surprised by 300 enemy horse between Torrita di Siena and Sinalunga in Val di Chiana: in the clash, his lieutenant Girolamo Pepoli is captured with 25 men-at-arms and two banners. | |
| Aug. | Umbria | Mid-month, he returns to Città di Castello to sign the marriage contract with the seventeen-year-old Angela dei Rossi, daughter of Marquis Troilo I and Bianca Riario. | |||
| 1523 | |||||
| Sept. Oct. | Church | France, Ferrara | 100 lances | Emilia, Liguria, Piedmont, Lombardy | He is reported guarding Reggio Emilia, threatened by the Este family; he is moved to Genoa with his company and 3000 infantry paid by the Genoese; recalled by Prospero Colonna, he is first in Castelnuovo Scrivia and then in Serravalle Scrivia; he occupies the Alessandria area except for the capital. In Lomellina, he obtains Palazzolo near Voghera; in October, he enters Pavia where he meets with Federico Gonzaga. He cuts off the supply routes to the French occupied with the siege of Milan. Soon the Doge of Genoa, Antoniotto Adorno, asks for his support to fight against the Archbishop of Salerno, Federico Fregoso, operating from Alessandria. |
| 1524 | |||||
| Jan. Mar. | Lombardy, Emilia, and Piedmont | He returns to Lombardy; in February, he moves to the Piacenza area and in March recovers Stradella. He moves to the camp of the Serenissima (allied in this conflict with the imperials) in Tromello with 160 lances, 400 light horse, and 1500 infantry; he has an interview with the Viceroy of Naples, Charles de Lannoy (Carlo di Lannoy), and is tasked with building a pontoon bridge at Valenza with an attached bastion to defend the structure. | |||
| May | Emilia | He moves to the Modena area with 150 lances; in the capital, he is hosted by Rangoni. In June, he leaves Campogalliano with Niccolò Vitelli to head for Guzzano. | |||
| Dec. | He gathers numerous infantry on behalf of the Florentines. | ||||
| 1525 | |||||
| Feb. | Tuscany | Hunting wolves on the banks of the Arno with Niccolò Vitelli and Sforza Baglioni. | |||
| Spring | Umbria | In Città di Castello. | |||
| Nov. Dec. | Lazio and Tuscany | He assists the papal forces and the Maganzesi faction in Viterbo against Pirro Colonna. In December, his presence in Florence is noted. | |||
| 1526 | |||||
| June July | Church, Florence | Empire | Governor Gen., 100 lances | Emilia and Lombardy | Besides the position of Governor General of the Florentines, he also holds that of Governor of Piacenza. He leaves Bologna with 2000 infantry and his 100 lances; he passes through San Leonardo and reaches Piacenza where he joins Guido Rangoni and Giovanni dei Medici to fight against the imperials. He moves from Piacenza to join the Venetians under della Rovere and together provide aid to Duke Francesco Sforza, besieged in Milan in the Sforza Castle. He reaches Lodi and joins the siege of Milan; with Rangoni, he supports the waiting tactics of della Rovere, except for opposing the latter when the Duke of Urbino diverts part of the troops to the conquest of Cremona. In Melegnano, he reconciles with Malatesta Baglioni; his actions in the various factions earn the praise of the Venetian General Provider Piero Pesaro. |
| Sept. | Lombardy | His term with the papal forces ends; he asks for permission to leave because he is unhappy with his personal situation. When one of his men-at-arms is captured and taken to Milan, he writes to Zuchero to obtain his release: this is the apparent reason for an interview requested by the opponents. He participates with Luigi Gonzaga and Giovanni dei Medici; present are some imperial condottieri, including the Constable of Bourbon (Connestabile di Borbone), Alfonso d’Avalos, and Antonio di Leyva. The latter, knowing his reasons for discontent, takes him aside and offers him a command. Vitelli refuses the proposal. He returns to the camp of Lambrate; with Rangoni, Medici, Luigi Gonzaga, and the papal commissioner Francesco Guicciardini, he participates in a war council. Alongside Medici, he intervenes in some small skirmishes occurring nearby. He is recalled by Pope Clement VII (Clemente VII) to the Papal States to face the Colonna family, who, after forcing the Pope to sign a truce with the imperials, are infesting the Roman countryside starting from Grottaferrata. | |||
| Nov. | Church | Colonna, Empire | Lazio | At the beginning of the month, at the head of 6000 infantry, 700 light horse, 250 men-at-arms, and fourteen pieces of artillery (two cannons, two culverins, two sakers, eight falconets), he leaves Rome with Stefano Colonna. His goal is the Colonna possessions. He sets fire to Marino and Montefortino (Artena), levels Gallicano nel Lazio and Zagarolo, and seizes Genazzano and the Abbey of Subiaco. The Colonna withdraw to Rocca di Papa and Paliano. He moves under Paliano, whose garrison is reinforced by 500 German and Spanish infantry and 200 horse arrived from the Kingdom of Naples. Mid-month, he is forced to retreat to Valmontone, also because part of his troops is stationary at Grottaferrata. At the end of the month, he is reported in Anagni. He sends 500 infantry to Trevi in support of the Spoleto infantry, in the service of the Papal States, who are defending the Abbey of Subiaco attacked by the Colonna. | |
| Dec. | Lazio | The opponents manage to reconquer Ceprano and Pontecorvo. He advises the Pope to abandon lower Lazio to concentrate defenses on Tivoli, Palestrina, and Velletri, and from there block the advance of the Viceroy of Naples, Charles de Lannoy (Carlo di Lannoy). With Napoleone Orsini, he repels an attack by Ascanio Colonna from Vallebona, near Tivoli. | |||
| 1527 | |||||
| Jan. | Lazio | The plan is rejected by Renzo di Ceri, who positions the defensive line at Ferentino; Vitelli moves with Orazio Baglioni to the defense of Frosinone; he liberates the castle besieged by the opponents. With the victory of Stefano Colonna nearby, Viceroy Lannoy withdraws. | |||
| Feb. Mar. | Lazio | The papal forces counterattack with two small armies of 6000 men each, commanded by Renzo di Ceri and Vitello Vitelli himself. Charles de Lannoy (Carlo di Lannoy) entrenches himself in Naples; Vitelli advances via the Appian Way, but by March, the lack of food, money for pay, and diseases lead to the dispersal of the attacking forces. From Cassino, he returns to Priverno with the Cardinal Legate Scaramuccia da Trivulzio. | |||
| Apr. | Tuscany and Umbria | In Arezzo with the infantry of the Black Bands (Bande Nere). He informs della Rovere of the intention of the Constable of Bourbon (Connestabile di Borbone) to head for Rome with the Lanzichenecchi. At the end of the month, he is in Città di Castello. | |||
| May June | Lazio and Umbria | He is in Rome when the city is subjected to the sack by the Lanzichenecchi of the Constable of Bourbon. Besieged in Castel Sant’Angelo with Pope Clement VII (Clemente VII), he can leave the fortress only after paying a heavy ransom. He returns to Città di Castello. | |||
| 1528 | |||||
| May | Florence | Empire | Campania | He fights in the Kingdom of Naples under the command of Lautrec. He dies mid-month of the plague at the siege of Naples. Portrait by Luca Signorelli. He marries Angela dei Rossi, daughter of Troilo, who later will marry her relative Alessandro. |
Sources
-“Nella seconda generazione dei Vitelli capitani, non viene meno lo spirito antico della “ventura”; pur nel contesto di una politica europea, il Vitelli condottiero mantiene la sua autonomia e, ancor prima di assicurarsi una signoria o di mantenerla, vive nelle armi e per esse, trovando ancora sui campi di battaglia al soldo dei potenti sovrani la propria ragione di vita.” RENDINA
-“Qual intende ben il mestier di la guerra.” SANUDO
-“Hera molto prattico della guerra et huomo di grandissimo consiglio.” GIOVIO
-“Fu capitano di gran nome..In Città di Castello fu riguardato per il principale personaggio e l’arbitro degli affari, ed avendogli Clemente VII fatto dono d’una somma, che quella città a titolo di vassallaggio aveva presentato alla Chiesa, Vitello la restituì alla patria.” LITTA
-“Non meno distinto condottiero nel secolo XVI.” BOSI
-“..ch’in tal arte/ un homo simel a lui non veste meglio.” DEGLI AGOSTINI
-“Prode e prudente cavaliere.” VARCHI
-“Nel 1551 il tipografo Lorenzo Torrentini pubblicò a Firenze una raccolta di lettere rivolte a Vitello: una delle prime sillogi epistolari a un solo destinatario (insieme alle lettere a Pietro Aretino stampate da Francesco Marcolini nello stesso anno). Nella premessa, il curatore Lelio Carani afferma di aver tratto le lettere dai “forzieri” di Camillo, figlio di Vitello, e di averle “racconcie in questa favella volgare”. Le novantacinque missive, datate tra 1522 e 1528 (ma disposte senza alcun ordine), documentano i rapporti del destinatario con interlocutori illustri – il doge di Genova, il duca di Milano, gli Otto di Pratica fiorentini, il marchese di Mantova – i quali si rivolgono a Vitello con espressioni rispettose e familiari al tempo stesso, cui fanno da contraltare le formule di ossequio dei personaggi minori al servizio del condottiero in qualità di messaggeri o informatori.” LODONE
-“Muore a 48 anni, spesi quasi tutti nei molteplici campi di battaglia allora più famosi.” ASCANI
Featured image: Wikimedia
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