Battle of Forlì explained

Conflict:Battle of Forlì
Partof:Guelphs and Ghibellines
Date:1 May 1282
Place:Forlì, Romagna, present-day Italy
Result:Ghibelline victory [1] [2]
Forlì defended
Combatant1:Guelphs:
Pope Martin IV
Charles I of Anjou
Combatant2:Ghibellines:
Forlì Imola Bologna Faenza Ravenna Bagnacavallo
Commander1:Jean d'Eppe
Taddeo II da Montefeltro
Commander2:Guido da Montefeltro
Casualties2:heavy
Casualties1:2,000-3,000 killed

The Battle of Forlì in 1282 took place between an army recruited in France, sent by Pope Martin IV in an attempt to subdue Forlì and the Ghibellines. The Guelph army was defeated thanks to the strategic ability of Guido I da Montefeltro. The event was remembered by Dante in the Divine Comedy

Battle

On 30 April, some conspirators in Forlì offered to turn the city over to Jean d'Eppe, who immediately marched his men from Faenza to Forlì. Arriving the following day, he found that the conspiracy had been uncovered and the traitors arrested. Nonetheless, d'Eppe launched an assault on the city. The main troops easily breached the outer wall. While they plundered the suburbs, Guido da Montefeltro sent a small force out a gate on the opposite side of the city. In an ambush, this force overcame the Guelph rearguard and surprised the main force. After a bloody battle, d'Eppe was forced to retreat to Faenza.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Kleinherz, Christopher . Medieval Italy: An Encyclopedia . 473 . 2004 . Routledge.
  2. Book: Kopp, Josef Eutych . Geschichte der Eidgenössischen Bünde Vol 2 . 217 . 1871 . Berlin.