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Battle of Legnano
Part of the Wars of the Guelphs and Ghibellines
Image:Comune33.jpg
Date May 29, 1176 Location Legnano, Lombardy, Italy Result Guelph victory
Combatants
Holy Roman Empire and Ghibellines	Lombard League(Guelphs)
Commanders
Frederick I Barbarossa	Alberto da Giussano

Wars of the Guelphs and Ghibellines
Legnano - Cortenuova - Brescia - Faenza - Viterbo - Parma - Fossalta - Cingoli - Montebruno - Cassano - Montaperti - Benevento - Tagliacozzo - Colle Val d'Elsa - Roccavione - Desio - Campaldino - Zappolino

The Battle of Legnano was fought on 29 May 1176 between the German forces of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa and the forces of the Lombard League of north Italian cities. It was the first of the wars of the Guelphs and Ghibellines which dominated north Italian politics for the next century. It was a decisive defeat for imperial pretensions in Italy and a turning point in the history of the Italian city-states, which were thenceforth independent entities.

In the year 1167 several towns in northern Italy formed the Lombard League in opposition to the emperor, Frederick I Barbarossa, who had demanded to have the so-called regalia reinstated, royal rights, such as the right of coinage or collecting duties, which were often very lucrative. In the Oath of Pontida the communes, which until that time had followed conflicting political interests, swore to stand together against Barbarossa. In the Battle of Legnano they finally defeated the imperial forces in 1176.

The Milanese Guelphs created a Carroccio decorated with the cross of St. Ambrose. The Heart piece of the Lombard League was the "Company of Death" which was lead by the Guelph knight Alberto da Giussano. Frederick failed to receive expected German reinforcements, and his largely cavalry forces were eventually repulsed by the Lombard League, comprising Milan and other states loyal to the Pope. The Imperial troops kept the upper hand at the start, and routed the first lines of the Lombard infantry. Till the "Company of Death" and the rest of the Lombard infantry developed an iron fighting spirit, and started to turn the table. The table was completely turned, when new infantry along with the Milanese and Brescian cavalry arrived and attacked the flank of the emperor. It was the Brescian cavalry that managed the break through and attacked the emperor, killing the guards and capturing the Imperial Insignia. Frederick I Barbarossa was wounded and fell to the ground, but managed to escape the Battlefield. Frederick's forces were demoralized when he was wounded and erroneously thought to have been killed. The Imperial troops started to flee as well and were largely chased down by the Lombard cavalry.

Although Frederick subsequently negotiated a favorable peace, Legnano marked the Empire's last effort to control the lands south of the Alps during his reign. This battle is the first major victory of infantry over feudal cavalry in the Middle Ages.

In 1848, Giuseppe Verdi, the famous Italian Composer, composed an opera about this Battle titled La battaglia di Legnano