The Genoese naval victory at Rapallo destroyed French sea power in the Tyrrhenian Sea, accelerating Charles VIII's withdrawal from Naples in 1495.
Key Facts
- Date
- 2 May 1495
- French fleet size
- 7 galleys, 2 galleons, 2 fuste
- Genoese fleet size
- 8 galleys, 1 carrack, 2 xebecs
- Genoese infantry embarked
- 600 men
- French convoy vessels later captured
- 12 sailing vessels
- Captive women freed
- 300 women
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
France had occupied Rapallo following a battle there in 1494, stationing a garrison supported by a fleet of seven galleys, two galleons, and two fuste. The Genoese deliberately spread false rumors that any attack would come from land, inducing the French to detach much of their naval crews to reinforce the shore garrison, leaving most of the fleet seriously undermanned.
At dawn on 2 May 1495, a Genoese squadron under Francesco Spinola attacked the French fleet at its moorings in Rapallo by surprise, capturing the entire French force. Genoese troops under Gian Ludovico Fieschi and Giovanni Adorno then landed, and, aided by a local popular uprising, retook the town and forced the French garrison to surrender.
The destruction of the French fleet enabled the subsequent capture of twelve unescorted French supply vessels carrying war booty from Naples, freeing around three hundred captive women and recovering looted treasures including the bronze doors of Castel Nuovo. The loss of French naval support in the Tyrrhenian Sea contributed directly to Charles VIII's decision to abandon Naples and return to France.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Francesco Spinola, Gian Ludovico Fieschi, Giovanni Adorno.
Side B
1 belligerent
Louis de Miolans.