Florence's 1364 victory over Pisa at Cascina halted Pisan-backed mercenary incursions into Florentine territory and secured the region's political stability.
Key Facts
- Date
- 28 July 1364
- Pisan commander
- John Hawkwood (with Hanneken von Baumgarten)
- Pisan force size
- 3,000 men-at-arms
- Florentine force size
- 11,000 infantry and 4,000 knights
- Pisan soldiers captured
- At least 2,000
- Florentine crossbowmen
- 400, under Ricceri Grimaldi
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Pisa employed the English mercenary John Hawkwood and his company, who exploited a prior Florentine defeat to occupy Valdinievole and advance through Prato. Hawkwood and his forces looted the Mugello region and Pistoia, driving toward Florence and threatening the city's security.
On 28 July 1364, Florentine forces under Galeotto Malatesta, comprising 11,000 infantry, 4,000 knights, and 400 crossbowmen led by Ricceri Grimaldi, engaged the Pisan army in the comune of San Savino near Cascina. Malatesta's flexible tactics and effective deployment secured a decisive Florentine victory over Hawkwood's force.
Pisan forces suffered thousands of casualties and at least 2,000 soldiers were captured. The victory ended the immediate Pisan threat to Florence, and Malatesta's tactical success was widely credited to his adaptive command style and the skillful use of crossbowmen.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Galeotto Malatesta, Enrico di Monforte, Ricceri Grimaldi.
Side B
1 belligerent
John Hawkwood, Hanneken von Baumgarten.