OVERVIEW OF THE HISTORICAL CIRCUMSTANCES LEADING UP TO THE BATTLE OF FORNOVO:

(as presented in Renaissance Battles, 1494-1700 by Peter Sides, 1996; Gosling Press, 35 Cross St. Upton, Pontefract WF9 1EU United Kingdom)

"King Charles VIII of France set out from Lyons for Italy at the head of his army on 27th July 1494 and conquered Florence and Rome in rapid succession, moving onto Naples in the same year. At Rapallo he defeated an army of the Kingdom of Naples composed mostly of militia infantry in entrenched positions. The French Gendarmes with Swiss mercenaries under the Duke of Orleans, after initially being forced back recovered, and drove the Neapolitans from the field.

Charles' success in Italy and his entrance into Naples in February 1495 bearing the Imperial Globe, symbol of imperial authority, offended the Germans in as much they had custody of the Holy Roman Empire and worried Spain's Ferdinand of Aragon over his rights to Naples. So on March 31st 1495 the Venetians, Maximilian I, Ferdinand of Aragon, Ludovico Sforza the Duke of Milan and Pope Alexander VI formed the "Holy League" or Venetian League in order to restore Italian independence - or more obviously to curb France's power.

Ferdinand King of Spain sent Gonsalvo de Cordova with approximately 5000 Spanish troops to support King Ferrante II of Naples in defeating the now encumbant French army." (page 6)

(The battle of Seminara was fought on June 28, 1495.)

"Following the battle of Seminara, Charles VIII of France quickly conquered Naples early in 1495 He then began to march North to re-open his lines of communication with the reinforcements commanded by Louis, Duke of Orleans who was camped at Piedmont. The Milanese and Venetians under Giovanni Francesco Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua were camped along the French line of march, two miles north of the village of Fornovo overlooking the river Taro. The French arrived at Fornovo on 5th July and Charles attempted to negotiate with the Venetian Milanese faction to continue his march, but to no avail. Charles then deployed his force in a march column that could turn quickly to face its right flank in the event of an attack by the Italians." (page 8)