Marignano, battle of definition of Marignano, battle of in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

Marignano, battle of (märēnyä`nō), 1515, in the Italian Wars, fought by Francis I of France and his Venetian allies against the Swiss Confederates, who then controlled the duchy of Milan. It was fought (Sept. 13–14) near the town of Marignano (now Melegnano), 10 mi (16.1 km) SE of Milan. One of the bloodiest engagements in the Italian Wars Italian Wars, 1494–1559, series of regional wars brought on by the efforts of the great European powers to control the small independent states of Italy.
..... Click the link for more information. , its outcome was decided by the timely arrival of Venetian cavalry. Their military ambitions broken, the Swiss made peace with Francis and negotiated (1516) the "perpetual alliance" (see Switzerland Switzerland (swĭt`sərlənd), Fr. Suisse, Ger. Schweiz, Ital.
..... Click the link for more information. ). Described as a "battle of giants," Marignano established the superiority of artillery and cavalry over the reputedly invincible Swiss infantry tactics.