Battle of Novara

Significance

The Battle of Novara, fought on 16 June 1513 during the War of the League of Cambrai, resulted in a severe French defeat at the hands of Milanese forces under Maximilian Sforza. The disparity between the opposing forces was extreme: French forces under Louis de la Trémoille numbered between 1,200 and 1,400, against a Milanese army estimated at between 11,000 and 20,000. French casualties of approximately 5,000 — far exceeding the size of the recorded French force, which may indicate incomplete force figures or the inclusion of routed troops — dwarfed Milanese losses of around 1,500. The engagement represented a significant check on French military power in northern Italy at a moment when the broader League of Cambrai conflict was reshaping the political balance of the peninsula.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (2)