| Siege of Naples | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theWar of the League of Cognac | |||||||
 1572 map of Naples | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Kingdom of France Kingdom of Navarre Papal States Republic of Venice Marquisate of Saluzzo Republic of Genoa (until 4 July) | Holy Roman Empire Spanish Empire Republic of Genoa (after 4 July) | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Odet de Foix † Louis of Lorraine † Giampaolo Baglioni † Pietro Navarro † Charles of Navarre Michele Antonio di Saluzzo Filippino Doria (before 4 July) Pietro Lando | Hugo of Moncada † Philibert de Chalon Ferrante I Gonzaga Alfonso III d'Avalos Filippino Doria (after 4 July) | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 3,000 in theBlack Bands[1] | |||||||
 | |||||||
Thesiege of Naples was a siege of the Italian city ofNaples in 1528 during theWar of the League of Cognac.
In April 1528, the French commanderOdet de Foix laid siege to the city whileAndrea Doria's nephewFilippino organised a naval blockade. The site of the French camp is now occupied by theCemetery of the 366 Fossae. The hill on which it stood is now known asPoggioreale, but was once called monte di Leutrecco or Lo Trecco,[2][3] using de Foix's Italian nickname. It was also later mangled into 'Trivice', which was then incorrectly transliterated into Italian as 'Tredici'.
Towards the end of April,[4] Naples' governorHugo of Moncada was killed by twoarquebusiers and thrown into the sea during an unsuccessful attempt to break through the naval blockade and reach theGulf of Salerno.[1] During the battleAlfonso III d'Avalos was captured - he played a decisive part in the later negotiations for Doria's defection.[4]Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor appointedPhilibert of Chalon Moncada's replacement as governor.
On 22 May,Orazio di Giampaolo Baglioni and hisBlack Bands were ambushed by a squad ofLandsknechts near the riverSebeto, with Baglioni killed by a pike thrust.[1] ColonelFrangipane found his platoon surrounded by hellionbriganti and surrendered the garrison on 2 June. On 4 July, Doria lifted the naval blockade afterGenoa switched allegiance to theHoly Roman Empire in exchange for the liberation and subjugation ofSavoy.[5] In summer 1528, de Foix destroyed theBolla Aqueduct to try to starve out Naples' garrison. However, this turned the surrounding areas into marshes which combined with the summer heat to cause a fatal epidemic among the French forces.[6] Many died, including de Foix himself on 15 August, passing command of the French force toLouis, Count of Vaudémont, who also died of illness a few days later,[7] passing the command this time to marquisMichele Antonio di Saluzzo.
The French gave up the siege at the end of August and tried to withdraw toAversa, but were intercepted by an Imperial force, which capturedCharles of Navarre and the famous military engineerPietro Navarro.[5] Navarro was imprisoned inCastel Nuovo, where he was strangled or hanged later that month.[8]