Siege of Padua (1509)

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Siege of Padua
Part of War of the League of Cambrai
Date September 15 - 30, 1509
Location Padua, present-day Italy
Result Venetian victory
Belligerents
Holy Roman Empire,
France,
Papal States		 Republic of Venice
Commanders
Maximilian I Nicolo di Pitigliano,
Andrea Gritti
Strength
40,000,
120-200 cannon		 15,000
v • d • e
War of the League of

Cambrai
Agnadello – Padua – Polesella – Mirandola – Brescia – Ravenna – St. Mathieu – Novara – Guinegate – Flodden Field – La Motta – Marignano
v • d • e
Italian Wars

The Siege of Padua was a major engagement early in the War of the League of Cambrai.

On July 17, 1509, Venetian forces commanded by Andrea Gritti seized the city of Padua, which had been garrisoned by some landsknechts hired by Emperor Maximilian I. The emperor, whose forces had just captured the city several months before, raised an army, composed mainly of mercenaries, and invaded the Veneto in an attempt to reclaim Padua.

In early August 1509, Maximilian set out from Trento with an army of some 35,000 men and headed south into Venetian territory; there he was joined by French and Papal contingents. Due to a lack of horses, and generally poor organization, the army did not reach Padua until mid-September, which allowed Nicolo di Pitigliano to concentrate what remained of Venice's army after Agnadello, as well as several companies of volunteers from Venice, in the city.

The siege began on September 15. For two weeks, Imperial and French artillery bombarded the city, successfully breeching the walls; but the attacking troops were driven back by determined Venetian resistance when they attempted to enter. By September 30, Maximilian, unable to pay his mercenaries, lifted the siege; leaving a small detachment in Italy under the Duke of Anhalt, he withdrew to Tyrol with the main part of his army. The defeat was a major loss of face for Maximilian, and the Holy Roman Empire would not attempt another invasion of Italy until 1516.

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