Siege of Parma

Battle of Parma

Date	1247 – 1248 18 February 1248
Location	Parma, Emilia, present-day Italy
Result	Decisive Lombard victory

Belligerents

Holy Roman Empire

Lombard League

Commanders and leaders

Frederick II

Strength

5,600

Casualties and losses

1,500 Killed
100 Knights and 1,500 Foot soldiers Captured

The Battle of Parma was fought on 18 February 1248 between the forces of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and the Guelphs. The Guelphs attacked the Imperial camp when Frederick II was away. The Imperial forces were defeated and much of Frederick's treasure was lost.

The free commune of Parma had been a longtime supporter of the Ghibelline (pro-imperial) party. However, it was also considered an important stronghold to take by the Guelphs (pro-papal), due to its flourishing economy and its position across the Via Francigena.

On 25 June 1243 Innocent IV, who had several friends in the city and had held several positions in the local diocese, was elected as pope. He thus started a plan to bring Parma to the Guelph side, by replacing the current bishop with Alberto Sanvitale, who was more loyal to him, and order the local Franciscans to convince the population to change side. The already strained relationship between emperor Frederick II and the pope worsened: the situation was further aggravated by the coup by which the city fell in the hands of a Guelph group, including Ugo Sanvitale (the brother of the new bishop of Parma) and Bernardo di Rolando Rossi (the pope's brother-in-law and a former collaborator of Frederick).

The emperor knew of the rebellion when he was at Pavia. He immediately mustered an army, marched against Parma from Emilia, ousted Rolando Rossi and installed Tebaldo Franceschi at the new city's captain. Innocent IV, however, continued his hate campaign against Frederick both in Lombardy and the Kingdom of Sicily with letters to the local nobility and clergymen. Several noblemen, including the Sanseverino and three Fasanella, set a plot against the emperor in 1244: however, they were betrayed by a participant, and many were arrested and executed. Some conspirators sought the protection of the pope, who, in the meantime, had moved to Lyon, which was more distant from the imperial armies. Here he summoned the Council of Lyon in 1245, where it was decided to confirm the excommunication of the emperor, proclaimed in 1227 by Gregory IX.

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