Battle of Gamenario
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| Battle of Gamenario | |||||||
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| Combatants | |||||||
| Anjou (Guelph) |
Lombards (Ghibelline) |
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| Commanders | |||||||
| Reforza D'Angoult | John II of Montferrat(Giovanni II del Monferrato) | ||||||
| Wars of the Guelphs and Ghibellines |
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| Legnano - Cortenuova - Brescia - Faenza - Viterbo - Parma - Fossalta - Cingoli - Montebruno - Cassano - Montaperti - Benevento - Tagliacozzo - Colle Val d'Elsa - Roccavione - Desio - Campaldino - Zappolino - Gamenario |
The Battle of Gamenario, fought on 22 April 1345, was a decisive battle of the wars between the Guelfs (Angevins) and Ghibellines (Lombards).
Reforza d'Angoult was sent in the spring of 1345 as Robert of Naples' viceroy to northern Italy in hopes of putting an end to the Piedmontese war. Reforza conquered Alba and besieged Gamenario, a castle in the neighbourhood of Santena. The northenr Ghibellines formed an anti-Angevin alliance, headed by John II of Montferrat. On 22 April, he confronted Reforza and battle was joined. The meeting was brief and bloody. Initially uncertain, the outcome was a victory for the Ghibellines, who recovered the besieged fortress and dealt a sever blow to Neapolitan influence in Piedmont. To celebrate his victory, John built a new church in Asti in honour of Saint George, near whose feast day the battle was won. Saint George held a special place for the men of chivalry of the day, because he was the Saint that killed the dragon and was therefor held in a warrior cult by the troops of the Medieval,
In the aftermath, Piedmont was partitioned between the victors. John received Alba, Acqui Terme, Ivrea, and Valenza. Luchino Visconti received Alessandria and the House of Savoy (related to the Palaiologos of Montferrat) received Chieri. The Angevins lost almost complete control of the region and many formerly French cities declared themselves independent.
The defeat of the Angevins was also a defeat for Angevin-supported Manfred V of Saluzzo and the civil war in that margraviate was ended at Gamenario.
