The Battle of Canturino (22 April 1363) was a clash of two

condottiere ''Condottieri'' (; singular ''condottiero'' or ''condottiere'') were Italian captains in command of mercenary companies during the Middle Ages and of multinational armies during the early modern period. They notably served popes and other Europe ...

companies, the long-established Great Company under

Konrad von Landau Konrad Wirtinger von Landau (died 22 April 1363), known in Italy as Conte Lando, was a German military adventurer and condottiero who was active in north and central Italy. He was born the eldest son of Count Eberardo III in the ancient Swabian vil ...

and the newer

White Company The White Company ( it, Compagnia Bianca del Falco) was a 14th-century English mercenary Company of Adventure ( it, Compagnia di ventura), led from its arrival in Italy in 1361 to 1363 by the German Albert Sterz and later by the Englishman John H ...

under Albert Sterz and

John Hawkwood Sir John Hawkwood ( 1323 – 17 March 1394) was an English soldier who served as a mercenary leader or '' condottiero'' in Italy. As his name was difficult to pronounce for non-English-speaking contemporaries, there are many variations of it in ...

near Novara, north-west of Milan.

The battle

The exact details of the battle are unknown. The men-at-arms of both sides are said to have dismounted to fight. The battle was swayed by two events. The Hungarians in the Great Company refused to fight their fellow countrymen in the White Company and left the field, leaving the Great Company at a disadvantage. Shortly after this, Konrad von Landau was hit in the face by a rock which broke the nosepiece of his helmet, partly incapacitating him. The loss of their leader and part of their army undermined the Great Company and they fled. Konrad von Landau was captured alive but he had been further wounded in the

melee A melee ( or , French: mêlée ) or pell-mell is disorganized hand-to-hand combat in battles fought at abnormally close range with little central control once it starts. In military aviation, a melee has been defined as " air battle in which ...

and died shortly afterwards.

Aftermath

The Battle of Canturino led to a truce but had no other significant result other than the death of Landau and the demise of the Great Company. It was, however, the first field action fought by the White Company and the beginning of their rise to prominence. In July 1363, after a bidding war for its services between Pisa and Florence, the company entered Pisan employ.Caferro (2006), p.60

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Canturino Battles of the Middle Ages