The Battle of Cerignola was fought on April 21 1503, between Spanish and French armies, in Cerignola, next Bari, Southern Italy.

Spanish forces, under Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, formed by 8.000 men, with more than 1000 arquebusiers, and 20 cannons, defeated the French, 32.000 men, mainly heavy cavalry and Swiss pikemen, with about 40 cannons, and led by Louis d'Armagnac, Duke of Nemours, who was killed.

Despite being outnumbered 4:1, Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, called "El Gran Capitán" (The Great Captain), had many strategic advantages, he had occupied the heights of Cerignola, and entrenched his soldiers with walls, trenches and stakes, and his artillery was better placed than French one. Most of his forces were infantry troopers, which he had formed in new units called "Coronelías", that were the seed of the "Tercios", armed with a mix of pikes, arquebuses and sword, had revolutionized the Spanish army, too centred in cavalry during the X-XV centuries, due to the "Reconquista" against the muslims.

This army was facing a professional French army based on the Ordonnance reforms, relying on the heavily-armoured cavalry of the Compagnies d'ordonnance and mercenary Swiss pikemen; but, at the same time, this army had more artillery than the Spanish. This paradox would be constant through the first half of XVI century in French armies.

The battle began with a charge of the French cavalry, against the center of Spanish army, but was disbanded by the heavy artillery fire twice. The next assault tried to force the right flank, but it was broke by a storm of fire from the Spanish arquebusiers, which killed Duke of Nemours. Given the command to Swiss Command Chandieu, the Swiss infantry attacked along with the cavalry, but this attempt was again driven back by the arquebusiers, during the assault Chandieu died, this forced the French army to retire in disorder, the moment in which Spanish infantry countered. The result was a total French defeat. It is considered the first battle in history won by gunpowder small arms.

1503 | Battles of the Italian Wars | Battles of France | Battles of Spain

Batalla de Ceriñola | Batalla de Ceriñola