Battles of Montecuccoli, The - Vol. II - 1643 Nonantola

During the First Castro War (AKA Barberini’s war, 1642-1645) the Pope Urbano VII stole the Castro and Castiglione domains from Odoardo Farnese, giving them to his nephews Taddeo and Antonio.
Odoardo Farnese, with 3000 horse soldiers invaded the Romagna pushing back the enemy to the Trasimeno lake, and regaining the control on Forlì and Faenza. After a short truce, the Pope again called his people to arms putting Nonantola under Siege with 12,000 men.

Meanwhile, on a request by Francesco d’Este, the Duke of Modena, the Austrian Emperor called the best Army commander of the Austrian armies - Raimondo Montecuccoli - back from Germany, giving him the permission to engage Pope’s army and his allies.

With only 4,000 soldiers and a battery of modified light guns, Montecucoli forced a passage across the Panaro river, moving his army on the Nonantola side of the river, then charged the line wreaking havoc on the enemy that, after few hours, fled in rout.

In the 1644 spring, the Pope sued for peace.

After Montecuccoli on the Raab, this game is the second of a series dedicated to the battles of one of the greatest commanders of the XVII Century - Raimondo Montecuccoli.

This game is set during the First Castro war. The battle took place few miles away from Bologna near the fortified town of Nonantola where the Pope’s army was defeated by Modenese.