07/08/2015
Zappolino Hill Battle
The battle that took place at the foot of the hill of Zappolino, just outside the castle walls, was one of the biggest pitched battles took place in the Middle Ages, and took part in fact about 35,000 infantry and 4000 cavalry, and more than two thousand men lost their lives on the field battle.
The clash occurred as a result of long-standing rivalry between Modena, of the Ghibellines, and Bolognesi, part of Guelph. In the years preceding 1325, there were several incidents that may be considered as the first signs of what was a clash of size hardly imaginable even today.
In 1296 the Bolognese had invaded the lands of Bazzano and Savignano, taking away from the fact Modena, thanks to the support of Pope Boniface VIII. These in fact issued a ruling in 1298 with an acknowledgment of possession by Guelph castles of these places. The Pope with this move intended to strengthen its grip on Guelph, who saw in the Modena Ghibellines, allied with the Emperor, the main enemy with whom it was necessary to solve the old problem of boundaries. On the other hand Bologna had expanded its territorial ambitions, having to face the tumultuous population increase resulting from the fame of his university. Ghibellines therefore enemies of Bologna and enemies of the Pope. Fight for investitures and border war mingled and led to tragic events.
In Modena, the situation was however slightly complicated, in fact, after the death of Orbizzo d'Este, had waged a struggle for succession among the sons. Among them he was able to prevail Azzo VIII, who, failing to have the support of the urban nobility, threw down the gauntlet in Bologna, in an effort to strengthen its prestige. This incident soured tempers and war along the border became even more violent, but Azzo came out defeated. At his death he was elected Passerino Bonacolsi, who continued and escalated the war politics.
In the months preceding the date of the battle, there was an intense military activity on the border between Modena and Bologna, in July in fact the Bologna entered the territory of Modena and began to sack the country, in September it was the turn of Mantua and again the countryside of Modena, but at the end of the same month the Ghibellines won, thanks to a betrayal, the castle of Monteveglio, which was an important bulwark for the defense of Bologna. Zappolino and its castle had become at this point the last major stronghold in defense of today's Bologna.
The clash took place on November 15, 1325 to the fall of the sun and saw deployed some 30,000 soldiers and 2,000 riders for Bolognesi, against 5,000 infantry and 2,000 cavalry for the people of Modena, many of them of German origin and therefore rather art experts Military . The Ghibellines were deployed around the plateau where today stands the village of Ziribega while Guelfi they were at the beginning of the slope that rises to Bersagliera Zappolino, called "Meadows insole" while behind them the castle. The Bolognese did not have much time to organize the troops, having them called in haste by Bazzano and Ponte Sant 'Ambrogio, where the Modenese had drawn with some tricks; the aim was to stop the advance of the enemy towards Monteveglio, where he was trying to regain the castle, and probably to defend the stronghold of Zappolino. The Modena, under the orders of Passerino Bonacolsi attacked, led by the Marquis Azzone Visconti Rinaldo d'Este, the knights of the first lines of Bologna, while the cavalry Gangalando Bertucci of Guiglia, attacked on the side, coming from the part of Oliveto. Also he took part in the maneuvers from Muzzarello Cuzzano, local expert as Gangalando and ladies of the castle, located a short distance from the site of the battle. The battle was very short, about a couple of hours, but ended with the terrible defeat of Bologna, in fact, despite the numerical superiority, the troops taken by surprise by the side fled, many men fled inside the castle of Zappolino, others in that of Oliveto, others, reached, chased, Bologna and found refuge here entering the door S. Felice. The dead were more than two thousand. The Modena came to the gates of Bologna, destroying as they pass the castles of Crespellano, Zola, Samoggia, Anzola, Castelfranco, Piumazzo and closed the Rhine at Casalecchio, which allowed, as now, the diversion of the waters of the river to the city . But they did not attempt the siege of the city, but were limited to a few days to taunt the losers running four Palios off the walls and eventually returned to Modena in bringing trophy stolen a bucket in a well, which still exists under a manhole outside Porta S. happy. Following this episode, and perhaps thanks to the poem by Tassoni which tells mock-heroic in key events, this event is now called "The Battle of the Secchia Rapita".
Some months later, in January 1326, the peace agreement signed by the two sides saw the return of land and castles conquered by the Ghibellines to Bologna, probably in exchange for money, passed into the hands of Passerino Bonacolsi.
The sacrifice of two thousand men had then proved totally useless. Heroes, that without the vile treated following the crash, would have had the honors of history.
Despite a clash of this magnitude has been almost forgotten, perhaps for not forthcoming to the historical - political importance, the memory of the tragedy remained alive in the minds of the defeated for a long time. Antonio Beccari, wandering poet who had lived at the court of Oleggio, several years later quoted in fact a clash of Zappolino in his rhyme, where he sang the cruelty and treachery of the human soul.
