Cerignola

Cerignola is town and comune of Apulia, Italy. In the Middle Ages it was part of the Kingdom of Naples. In 1503 the Spanish defeated the French at the battle of Cerignola, the first battle whose outcome was determined by gunpowder. The town was passed from hand to hand over the years. In 1731 it had to be rebuilt after an earthquake.  

“Cerignola.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 22 Jan. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerignola.

Parent Map

da Vinci and the Renaissance Map

Coordinates

Latitude: 41.265615700000
Longitude: 15.893642900000

Timeline of Events Associated with Cerignola

Date Event Manage
1494 to 1498

Second Italian War

The Second Italian War began when King Louis XII of France pressed his claim on the thrones of Milan and Naples. Louis had a claim to the thrones through his paternal grandmother and in 1499, he invaded Italy. He took Milan, Genoa, and Naples. 

When Duke Lodovico Sforza was overthrown, Leonardo da Vinci fled Milan with his assistant and friend to Venice. In Venice he was employed as a military architect and engineer. He designed methods of defending the city from naval attack. 

Louis was driven out of Naples in 1503 by Spain after a defeat at Cerignola. The battle of Cerignola was the first battle in history won by gunpowder small arms.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Italian Wars.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 4 Mar. 2016, www.britannica.com/event/Italian-Wars.

“Italian War of 1499–1504.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Feb. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_War_of_1499%E2%80%931504.

 Battle of Cerignola
1499 to 2504

First Italian War

In response to threats from the Republic of Venice and the Kingdom of Naples, Duke Ludovico Sforza of Milan invited France and Spain into Italy to protect Milan. The First Italian War began when Charles VIII, the French King, invaded Italy in 1494 in response to Sforza's request for aid. He took Naples but was driven out by Spain after Italy and Spain created an alliance against him. 

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Italian Wars.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 4 Mar. 2016, www.britannica.com/event/Italian-Wars.

 French troops under Charles VIII entering Florence