Battle of Montaperti

BelligerentsGhibellines:
Siena
Manfred of Sicily
Pisa
Terni
Florentine exilesGuelphs:
Florence
LuccaBolognaPratoOrvietoSan GimignanoSan MiniatoVolterraColle Val d'ElsaCommanders and leadersProvenzano Salvani
Farinata degli Uberti
Giordano d'Anglano
Ildebrandino Aldobrandeschi
Jacopo del Naca †
Niccolò Garzoni†
Strength 17,000 troops 33,000 troopsCasualties and losses 600 killed
400 wounded 2,500 killed
1,500 captured

The Battle of Montaperti was fought on 4 September 1260 between Florence and Siena in Tuscany as part of the conflict between the Guelphs and Ghibellines. The Florentines were routed. It was the bloodiest battle fought in medieval Italy, with more than 10,000 fatalities. An act of treachery during the battle is recorded by Dante Alighieri in the Inferno section of the Divine Comedy.