The Battle of Pavia took place on February 24, 1525. The stakes couldn’t have been greater. King Francis I of France and Charles V — Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria, and King of Spain — were vying to control Pavia, one of northern Italy’s most prosperous city states and a crown jewel of Italy’s north.
The army of King Charles V was led by Charles de Lannoy, the prince of Sulmona. De Lannoy prevailed and his forces took King Francis as their prisoner, making the battle one of the most decisive defeats for the French.
The victory by King Charles V and De Lannoy would prove to be a turning point in the geopolitics of the era and it established Austria’s dominance over France and Spain in the quest to control southern Europe.
It’s an event that literally reshaped the map and the course of European history. And Pavia emerged from the battle as a leading force in the new political reality in Italy and beyond.
On February 25, 2025 — five centuries after the historic battle — the City of Pavia will be mounting an epic re-enactment of the conflict.
Because of Pavia’s wonderfully maintained Renaissance cityscape, it offers the ideal setting for the re-enactment. In many ways, the city’s walls and its countless churches look very much the same as they did 500 years ago.
The event will be presented by the City di Pavia, the Pavia Chamber of Commerce, the Banca del Monte di Lombardia foundation, and the University of Pavia.
Please visit the Pavia Chamber of Commerce website for updates and details. This is a historic re-enactment that is sure to thrill visitors as they learn more about Pavia’s role in European and Renaissance history.
The re-enactment is just one element in a series of museum exhibitions as well as other events to commemorate the battle.
This campaign was conceived with the contribution of Regione Lombardia.