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Edict of Châteaubriant

2023-04-02T08:26:58Z

12.2.125.2:

{{Short description|1551 French decree regulating censorship and other acts to the persecution of Protestants}}
[[File:HenriIIbetweenFrance&Fame.jpg|thumb|210px|Catholic Valois propaganda: a [[Halo (religious iconography)|halo]]ed [[Henry II of France|Henri II]], attended by France and crowned by Fame, effortlessly tramples Heresy under foot in this engraving by [[Jean Duvet]], ''ca.'' 1548]]
The '''Edict of Châteaubriant''',<ref>Often ''Châteaubriand''; the modern spelling of the place is [[Châteaubriant]]; the château had been rebuilt magnificently by [[Jean de Laval-Châteaubriant|Jean de Laval]], baron de Châteaubriant, whose wife, [[Françoise de Foix]], had been a mistress of [[Francis I of France|François I]]; the baron had made a gift of it in 1539/40 to the ''connétable'' [[Anne de Montmorency]]. (Abbé Guillotin de Corson, "Châteaubriant, baronnie, ville et paroisse" in Abbé Goudé, ''Histoire politique et civile de Châteaubriant'' (1869), pt. I, ch. vi:[http://pinsonnais.free.fr/chateaubriant/?id=p1_s1_c6_2 On-line text], and following chapters</ref> issued from the seat of [[Anne de Montmorency|Anne, duc de Montmorency]] in [[Brittany]], was promulgated by [[Henry II of France|Henri II of France]], 27 June 1551. The Edict was one of an increasingly severe series of measures taken by Henry II against [[Protestant]]s, whom he regarded as heretics. In the preamble, the Edict frankly reported that previous measures against [[heresy]] in the kingdom had proved ineffectual.<ref>The first punitive code, the [[Edict of Fontainebleau (1540)]], had been issued in 1540.</ref> "Heretics", the Edict reported, met in [[conventicle]]s, infected schools, invaded the judicial bench and forced toleration upon judges. To ensure more rigorous judgements, in 1547 Henri had already created a special judicial chamber drawn from members of the ''[[parlement]]s'', solely to judge cases of heresy (called by Protestants the ''Chambre Ardente'' (the "Burning Chamber").<ref>Linda L. Taber, "Religious Dissent within the Parlement of Paris in the Mid-Sixteenth Century: A Reassessment" ''French Historical Studies'' '''16'''.3 (Spring 1990:684-699) p 685.</ref> The Edict contained quite detailed provisions: it called upon the civil and [[ecclesiastical court]]s to detect and punish all heretics, and placed severe restrictions on Protestants, including loss of one-third of property granted to informers, who were also granted immunity<ref>Raymond A. Mentzer, Jr., "The Legal Response to Heresy in Languedoc, 1500-1560" ''Sixteenth Century Journal'' '''4'''.1 (April 1973:19-30) p. 22.</ref> and confiscations of property both moveable and immovable belonging to those who had fled to [[Geneva]], with whom the king's subjects were forbidden to correspond or to send money.<ref>The [[Edict of Compiègne]], of 1557, made travelling to Geneva an act punishable by death (Mentzer 1973:24.)</ref> Fourteen of its forty-six articles were concerned with [[censorship]]; its terms strictly [[Freedom of the press|regulated the press]] by prohibiting the sale, importation or printing of any book unapproved by the Faculty of Theology at the [[University of Paris]], then or, now it was implied,<ref>By a future tense in the wording (Francis M. Higman, ''Censorship and the Sorbonne'' [Geneva: Broz] 1979:65).</ref> in the future.<ref>James K. Farge, ''Orthodoxy and Reform in Early Reformation France: The Faculty of Theology of Paris, 1500-1543'' (Leiden: Brill) 1985:218.</ref> Booksellers were to display a copy of the Faculty's printed list of prohibited books alongside a list of books for sale. Delegates of the Faculty were to make visits twice a year to each bookseller to ensure that the provisions were complied with. Since 1542 it had been a requirement that any shipment of books into France be opened and unpacked in the presence of delegates from the Faculty of Theology, which now, according to Roger Doucet,<ref>''The Rabelais encyclopedia'' by Elizabeth A. Chesney 2004 {{ISBN|0-313-31034-3}} pages 31-32</ref><ref>Doucet, ''Les institutions de la France'', (Paris:Picard) 1948:II:747), noted by Farge 1995:218f and note.</ref> "assumed the intellectual direction of the kingdom."

Though the Edict went so far as to forbid the discussion of religious topics at work, in the fields, or over meals, it proved insufficient to stem the rising tide of reform in religion. Sterner measures would be taken in the next edict of the series, the [[Edict of Compiègne]], 1557, which applied the death penalty for all convictions of heresy.

==See also==
* [[Index Librorum Prohibitorum]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Religious edicts of the Valois Monarchy}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edict of Chateaubriant}}
[[Category:History of Catholicism in France]]
[[Category:16th-century anti-Protestantism]]
[[Category:Huguenot history in France]]
[[Category:1551 in France]]
[[Category:Edicts|Chateaubriant]]
[[Category:Henry II of France]]
[[Category:1551 in Christianity]]

Battle of Marciano

2023-03-08T15:39:57Z

12.2.125.2:

{{Short description|1554 battle in the Italian Wars}}
{{more citations needed|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| image = File:Giorgio Vasari - The battle of Marciano in Val di Chiana - Google Art Project.jpg
| image_size = 300
|caption = ''The Battle of Scannagallo'' by [[Giorgio Vasari]], in the [[Palazzo Vecchio]] of [[Florence]].
|conflict = Battle of Marciano or Battle of Scannagallo
|partof = the [[Italian War of 1551]]
|date = August 2, 1554
|place = [[Marciano della Chiana]], [[Italy]]
|result = Florentine-Spanish victory
|combatant1 = {{flagicon image|Medici Flag of Tuscany.png}} [[Duchy of Florence]] {{flag|Holy Roman Empire}} {{flagicon|Spain|1506}} [[Spanish Empire|Spain]]
|combatant2 = {{flagicon image|Flag of Siena.svg}} [[Republic of Siena]] {{flagcountry|Kingdom of France|valois}}
|commander1 = [[File:Medici Flag of Tuscany.png|border|23px]] [[Gian Giacomo Medici]]
|commander2 = {{flagicon image|Flag of Siena.svg}} [[Piero Strozzi]]
|strength1 = ~17,000 infantry ~1,500 cavalry
|strength2 = ~14,000 infantry ~1,000 cavalry 5 guns
|casualties1= ~200 killed
|casualties2= ~4,000 killed ~4,000 captured
}}
{{Campaignbox Italian War of 1551}}
{{Campaignbox Italian Wars}}

The '''Battle of Marciano''' (also known as the '''Battle of Scannagallo''') occurred in the countryside of [[Marciano della Chiana]], near [[Arezzo]], [[Tuscany]], on August 2, 1554, during the [[Italian War of 1551]]. The battle marked the defeat of the [[Republic of Siena]] in its war against the [[Duchy of Florence]], and resulted in Siena losing its independence and being absorbed into the [[Duchy of Florence]].

== Prelude ==
In 1554, [[Cosimo I de' Medici]], with the support of [[Emperor Charles V]], launched a grand campaign to conquer Florence's last remaining rival in Tuscany, the Republic of Siena. His army was under the command of [[Gian Giacomo Medici, Marquess of Marignano]],<ref>Only a homonymous of the ruling dynasty of Florence.</ref> best known as "Medeghino" ("Small Medici"). The Florentine-Imperial troops were divided into three corps: Federico Barbolani di Montauto, with 800 men, landed in southern Tuscany to conquer the area of [[Grosseto]]; [[Rodolfo Baglioni]], with 3,000 men, invaded the [[Val di Chiana]] to conquer [[Chiusi]], [[Pienza]], and [[Montalcino]]; and the main corps under Medeghino himself, consisting of 4,500 infantry, 20 cannons, and 1,200 sappers, was deployed at [[Poggibonsi]] for the main attack against Siena.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scannagallo.com/storia.htm |title=Scannagallo |accessdate=2006-11-25 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070224040905/http://www.scannagallo.com/storia.htm |archivedate=2007-02-24 }}</ref>

The Sienese entrusted the defence to [[Piero Strozzi]], a fierce rival of the [[Medici]] family and a general in French service. French troops, as well as some Florentine exiled by the Medici, took part in the war under the Sienese aegis.

The Florentine troops approached Siena on the night of January 26, 1554. After an initial failed assault, the Marquess of Marignano laid siege to the city, although his men were not numerous enough to totally cut it off from the countryside. Both Baglioni and Montauto failed to capture Pienza and Grosseto. French ships harassed the Florentine resupply lines at [[Piombino]]. Cosimo replied to the initial setbacks by hiring [[Ascanio della Cornia]] with 6,000 infantry and 300 cavalry, and waiting for further Imperial reinforcements.

On June 11, Strozzi attempted a sally to relieve the pressure on Siena, leaving some French units in the city. He moved towards [[Pontedera]], forcing Medeghino to raise the siege to follow him. This did not prevent Strozzi from joining with a French contingent with 3,500 infantry, 700 horse, and 4 cannons in the territory of Lucca. On June 21, Strozzi conquered [[Montecatini Terme|Montecatini]], but did not feel confident enough to join in a pitched battle against Medeghino, waiting instead for further French reinforcements which were to arrive at [[Viareggio]]. He had, in total, 9,500 infantry and perhaps 1,200 cavalry, while Medici had 2,000 Spanish, 3,000 German, and 6,000 Italian infantry, as well as 600 cavalry, not to mention further troops from Spain and Corsica which had recently landed at [[Bocca d'Arno]]. His brother, [[Leone Strozzi]], had been killed by an arquebus ball in the course of the struggle for Grosseto.

Strozzi therefore marched back to Siena, where the supply situation had become desperate. In July, he failed to capture Piombino, in southern Tuscany, the only port from which the French supplies could reach Siena. On July 17, conscious that only a victory in a pitched battle could save the city, he tried a third sally in the [[Val di Chiana]], in the direction of [[Arezzo]], leaving 1,000 infantry and 200 cavalry as a garrison under [[Blaise de Montluc]]. His field army included 14,000 infantry, about 1,000 cavalry, and five guns.

His force easily overwhelmed the small Florentine garrisons on his way, although the attempt, on July 20, to conquer Arezzo failed. He managed to capture [[Lucignano]], [[Marciano della Chiana]], [[Foiano della Chiana|Foiano]], and other centres in the following days.

After some days of inactivity, Medeghino raised the siege of Siena and moved to meet Strozzi.

==Battle==
[[File:Battle of Scannagallo.jpg|left|300px|thumb|The Battle of Marciano in an early print.]]

After some initial skirmishes, the two large armies clashed when Strozzi, short of food, decided to retire towards Lucignano in the night of August 1. In the morning of the following day, it was clear that his manoeuver had not been successful, and he was forced to lay battle against the Florentine-Imperial troops that were stalking and harassing his moving troops.

The Sienese had: c. 1,000 French-Sienese horse on the right wing; then followed, in the centre, 3,000 [[Landsknechts]], with 3,000 [[Grisons]] infantry behind them and another 3,000 French infantry on their left; the left wing was formed by 5,000 Italian infantry under Paolo Orsini. Strozzi's army occupied the slight slope of a hill that descended towards the Scannagallo creek. Il Medeghino deployed 1,200 light cavalry on his left wing, backed by 300 ''Uomini-d'Arme'' (heavy cavalry) under [[Marcantonio II Colonna|Marcantonio Colonna]]. The centre infantry corps was composed by 2,000 Spanish veterans and other Corsican recruits and 4,000 German [[Landsknecht]]s under [[Niccolò Madruzzo]]. The right wing was formed by 4,000 Tuscan, 2,000 Spanish and 3,000 poorly trained Roman infantry, in three rows, with the few artillery pieces available behind. The reserve included 200 Spanish soldiers, veterans of the [[Ottoman–Habsburg wars]], and a company of horse arquebusiers from [[Naples]].

The battle began with the attack of the Medeghino's cavalry wing, whose impetus easily routed its French-Sienese counterpart, which fled towards Foiano. It has been reported that the French commanders of that unit, Valleron and Fourquevaux, had been bribed by the Medeghino with 12 tin flasks filled with golden coins.<ref>Rendina, ''Capitani di ventura'', p. 180</ref>

To counter this first setback, Strozzi decided to launch down from the hill with the German infantry in his center. A chaotic melee ensued but soon the momentum of the Sienese attack began to wane under the fire of the Imperial artillery which also disorganized the Swiss attempting to relieve the first line. When Il Medeghino then ordered his men to launch themselves against the enemy the German and Swiss began to panic. This turned into a rout when Colonna's heavy cavalry, who had pursued for a while the French-Sienese cavalry, attacked the Germans, fighting across the Scannagallo, from behind. The French infantry on the right wing maintained its battle order and, surrounded on every side, defended desperately until the end.

Strozzi himself was wounded three times and was carried away by his guards. His lieutenant Clemente della Cervara died shortly after the battle from wounds received.

The battle lasted for only two hours, from 11 a.m to 1 p.m. The Sienese army suffered 4,000 dead and 4,000 wounded or prisoners. Strozzi escaped capture.

==Aftermath==
Il Medeghino easily subdued the neighbouring castles in the days following the battle, and was subsequently able to lay a tighter siege to Siena. Cruel measures were adopted to prevent the peasants taking supplies into the city. In March 1555 he destroyed a corps of 1,300 mercenaries trying to escape to collect food.

Unable to receive substantial supplies and reinforcements from the French, the city surrendered on April 17, 1555 while the remaining Sienese forces withdrew to [[Montalcino]].

The Republic of Siena finally disappeared in 1559 and was thenceforth incorporated into the Duchy of Florence. The [[Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany|Duke]] ordered that a [[Fortezza Medicea (Siena)|large fortress]] be constructed as a precaution against the risk of further rebellion by the Sienese, and this has presided over the city, from its north (Florentine) side, since its completion in 1563.

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
*{{cite book|last=Rendina|first=Claudio|title=I capitani di ventura|publisher=Newton Compton|location=Rome|year=1994}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070224040905/http://www.scannagallo.com/storia.htm Battle website] {{in lang|it}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20061210162519/http://www.condottieridiventura.it/condottieri/m/1065%20%20%20%20%20%20GIAN%20GIACOMO%20DEI%20MEDICI.htm Page about il Medeghino] {{in lang|it}}[[File:Poggio Santa Vittoria o Delle Donne and Santa Vittoria Temple..jpg|thumb|Santo Stefano alla Vittoria temple by [[Giorgio Vasari]]]][[File:"Poggio delle donne" and Scannagallo battlefield.jpg|alt=battlefield|thumb|View of the Scannagallo battlefield from Santa Luce hill to Poggio delle Donne, after the battle name Santa Vittoria (the holy victory), where's today is still possible to see part of the old buildings including an [https://www.fattoriasantavittoria.com historical winery]. The battlefield is still probably as 500 years ago surrounded by fields, olive trees and vineyards and with a small river in the place of the old one.]]

{{Authority control}}
{{Coord missing|Italy}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle Of Marciano}}
[[Category:1554 in Italy]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Republic of Florence|Marciano 1544]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Republic of Siena|Marciano 1544]]
[[Category:Battles of the Italian Wars|Marciano 1554]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1554]]
[[Category:Italian War of 1551–1559]]