{"history":[],"article":{"id":"e36668c1-a253-4988-845b-628023a559ad","title":"Battle of Ponza (1435)","slug":"battle-of-ponza-1435","content":":::summary\n![The surrender of Alfonso](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/V.///Corso///-///Battle///of///Ponza.png)\n**Conflict:** Battle of Ponza \n**Partof:** [Aragonese conquest of Naples](https://bliptext.com/articles/aragonese-conquest-of-naples) \n**Image Size:** 300 \n**Date:** 5 August 1435 \n**Place:** [Island of Ponza](https://bliptext.com/articles/island-of-ponza), [Tyrrhenian Sea](https://bliptext.com/articles/tyrrhenian-sea) \n**Result:** [Genoese](https://bliptext.com/articles/republic-of-genoa) victory \n**Combatant 1:** [Duchy of Milan](https://bliptext.com/articles/duchy-of-milan)
[Republic of Genoa](https://bliptext.com/articles/republic-of-genoa)
\n**Combatant 2:** [Crown of Aragon](https://bliptext.com/articles/crown-of-aragon)
\n**Commander 1:** [Filippo Visconti](https://bliptext.com/articles/filippo-maria-visconti)
[Biagio Assereto](https://bliptext.com/articles/biagio-assereto)
Jacopo Giustiniani
\n**Commander 2:** Alfonso V of Aragon
King of Aragon
John II of Aragon
King of Navarre
Henry of Aragon
Prince Infante
\n**Strength 1:** Genoese fleet**:
3 galleys
13 vessels
2,400 soldiers \n**Strength 2:** Aragonese fleet**:
11 galleys
14 vessels
6,000 soldiers \n**Casualties 1:** 90 killed \n**Casualties 2:** 600 killed
~100 Aragonese nobles captured
13 vessels lost \n:::\n\n# \nThe **naval battle of [Ponza](https://bliptext.com/articles/ponza)** was fought in early August 1435, when the [Duke of Milan](https://bliptext.com/articles/filippo-maria-visconti) dispatched the [Genoese navy](https://bliptext.com/articles/genoese-navy) to relieve the besieged town of [Gaeta](https://bliptext.com/articles/gaeta), which was currently under threat from the [King of Aragon](https://bliptext.com/articles/alfonso-v-of-aragon).\n\n# Conflict\n[Joan II, Queen of Naples](https://bliptext.com/articles/joan-ii-of-naples), died on 2 February 1435, and by her will bestowed [Rene d'Anjou](https://bliptext.com/articles/rene-d-anjou) with the crown of [Naples](https://bliptext.com/articles/kingdom-of-naples).\nHowever, [Alfonso](https://bliptext.com/articles/alfonso-v-of-aragon), king of [Aragon](https://bliptext.com/articles/kingdom-of-aragon) and [Sicily](https://bliptext.com/articles/kingdom-of-sicily), whom [Queen Joan II](https://bliptext.com/articles/joan-ii-of-naples) had primarily adopted, claimed the succession, on the ground of this first adoption.\nThus the successionist war between the [House of Anjou](https://bliptext.com/articles/house-of-valois-anjou) and the [House of Barcelona](https://bliptext.com/articles/house-of-barcelona) over the [Kingdom of Naples](https://bliptext.com/articles/kingdom-of-naples) ensued.\nAt this critical moment [Rene d'Anjou](https://bliptext.com/articles/rene-d-anjou) was currently imprisoned in the [Duchy of Burgundy](https://bliptext.com/articles/duchy-of-burgundy) and [Alfonso of Aragon](https://bliptext.com/articles/alfonso-v-of-aragon) lost no time in stirring up his partisans in the [Kingdom of Naples](https://bliptext.com/articles/kingdom-of-naples), whilst he himself sailed from [Sicily](https://bliptext.com/articles/kingdom-of-sicily) with a large fleet to besiege [Gaeta](https://bliptext.com/articles/gaeta).\n[Gaeta](https://bliptext.com/articles/gaeta) itself was garrisoned by the [Genoese](https://bliptext.com/articles/republic-of-genoa) who shortly after [Queen Joan's](https://bliptext.com/articles/joan-ii-of-naples) death dispatched Francesco Spinola with 800 infantry.\nThe [Duke of Milan](https://bliptext.com/articles/duchy-of-milan) (to whom the [Republic of Genoa](https://bliptext.com/articles/republic-of-genoa) had lately submitted) sided with the [House of Anjou](https://bliptext.com/articles/house-of-valois-anjou) and dispatched a [Genoese](https://bliptext.com/articles/republic-of-genoa) fleet in July under [Biagio Assereto](https://bliptext.com/articles/biagio-assereto) in order to relieve [Gaeta](https://bliptext.com/articles/gaeta).\n[Alfonso](https://bliptext.com/articles/alfonso-v-of-aragon) immediately sailed against the [Genoese](https://bliptext.com/articles/republic-of-genoa) fleet with superior numbers.\nThe two fleets met near the island of [Ponza](https://bliptext.com/articles/ponza) and after a long and gallant conflict, which lasted for ten hours, the [Genoese](https://bliptext.com/articles/republic-of-genoa) were completely victorious.\nThe royal galley of [Aragon](https://bliptext.com/articles/crown-of-aragon) was compelled to strike, and Alfonso V, King of [Aragon](https://bliptext.com/articles/crown-of-aragon) was captured.\n\n# Aftermath\nThe siege of [Gaeta](https://bliptext.com/articles/gaeta) was lifted, and the return of the [Genoese](https://bliptext.com/articles/republic-of-genoa) fleet was met with a triumphant reception at [Genoa](https://bliptext.com/articles/genoa).\nThe [King](https://bliptext.com/articles/alfonso-v-of-aragon) and all the noble [Aragonese](https://bliptext.com/articles/crown-of-aragon) prisoners were then brought to [Milan](https://bliptext.com/articles/milan) before the [Duke](https://bliptext.com/articles/duchy-of-milan), and with this one strike the war seemed already over.\n
However the [King of Aragon](https://bliptext.com/articles/alfonso-v-of-aragon) managed to persuade the [Duke of Milan](https://bliptext.com/articles/duchy-of-milan) to his side and against [Rene d'Anjou](https://bliptext.com/articles/rene-d-anjou), and was set at liberty with all other prisoners.\nThe [Genoese](https://bliptext.com/articles/republic-of-genoa) were so utterly exasperated by the [Duke](https://bliptext.com/articles/filippo-maria-visconti)'s decision that they started to rebel against him, drove out the [Milanese](https://bliptext.com/articles/duchy-of-milan) garrison and overthrew his rule on 27 December 1435.\n\n# Sources","current_revision":null,"created_by":"kACnuQmH5k9Nr5VNVEpVeg7XpvUmMctD","created_at":"2025-01-26T12:11:49.829Z","updated_at":"2025-01-26T12:11:49.829Z","search_vector":"'1435':4 'battl':1 'ponza':3","search_content":" \n \n**Conflict:** Battle of Ponza \n**Partof:** [Aragonese conquest of Naples](https://bliptext.com/articles/aragonese-conquest-of-naples) \n**Image Size:** 300 \n**Date:** 5 August 1435 \n**Place:** [Island of Ponza](https://bliptext.com/articles/island-of-ponza), [Tyrrhenian Sea](https://bliptext.com/articles/tyrrhenian-sea) \n**Result:** [Genoese](https://bliptext.com/articles/republic-of-genoa) victory \n**Combatant 1:** [Duchy of Milan](https://bliptext.com/articles/duchy-of-milan) [Republic of Genoa](https://bliptext.com/articles/republic-of-genoa) \n**Combatant 2:** [Crown of Aragon](https://bliptext.com/articles/crown-of-aragon) \n**Commander 1:** [Filippo Visconti](https://bliptext.com/articles/filippo-maria-visconti) [Biagio Assereto](https://bliptext.com/articles/biagio-assereto) Jacopo Giustiniani \n**Commander 2:** Alfonso V of Aragon King of Aragon John II of Aragon King of Navarre Henry of Aragon Prince Infante \n**Strength 1:** Genoese fleet**: 3 galleys 13 vessels 2,400 soldiers \n**Strength 2:** Aragonese fleet**: 11 galleys 14 vessels 6,000 soldiers \n**Casualties 1:** 90 killed \n**Casualties 2:** 600 killed ~100 Aragonese nobles captured 13 vessels lost \n \n\n# \nThe **naval battle of [Ponza](https://bliptext.com/articles/ponza)** was fought in early August 1435, when the [Duke of Milan](https://bliptext.com/articles/filippo-maria-visconti) dispatched the [Genoese navy](https://bliptext.com/articles/genoese-navy) to relieve the besieged town of [Gaeta](https://bliptext.com/articles/gaeta), which was currently under threat from the [King of Aragon](https://bliptext.com/articles/alfonso-v-of-aragon).\n\n# Conflict\n[Joan II, Queen of [Naples](https://bliptext.com/articles/kingdom-of-naples)](https://bliptext.com/articles/joan-ii-of-naples), died on 2 February 1435, and by her will bestowed [Rene d'Anjou](https://bliptext.com/articles/rene-d-anjou) with the crown of [Naples](https://bliptext.com/articles/kingdom-of-naples).\nHowever, [Alfonso](https://bliptext.com/articles/alfonso-v-of-aragon), king of [Aragon](https://bliptext.com/articles/kingdom-of-aragon) and [Sicily](https://bliptext.com/articles/kingdom-of-sicily), whom [Queen Joan II](https://bliptext.com/articles/joan-ii-of-naples) had primarily adopted, claimed the succession, on the ground of this first adoption.\nThus the successionist war between the [House of Anjou](https://bliptext.com/articles/house-of-valois-anjou) and the [House of Barcelona](https://bliptext.com/articles/house-of-barcelona) over the [Kingdom of Naples](https://bliptext.com/articles/kingdom-of-naples) ensued.\nAt this critical moment [Rene d'Anjou](https://bliptext.com/articles/rene-d-anjou) was currently imprisoned in the [Duchy of Burgundy](https://bliptext.com/articles/duchy-of-burgundy) and [Alfonso of Aragon](https://bliptext.com/articles/alfonso-v-of-aragon) lost no time in stirring up his partisans in the [Kingdom of Naples](https://bliptext.com/articles/kingdom-of-naples), whilst he himself sailed from [Sicily](https://bliptext.com/articles/kingdom-of-sicily) with a large fleet to besiege [Gaeta](https://bliptext.com/articles/gaeta).\n[Gaeta](https://bliptext.com/articles/gaeta) itself was garrisoned by the [Genoese](https://bliptext.com/articles/republic-of-genoa) who shortly after [Queen Joan's](https://bliptext.com/articles/joan-ii-of-naples) death dispatched Francesco Spinola with 800 infantry.\nThe [Duke of Milan](https://bliptext.com/articles/duchy-of-milan) (to whom the [Republic of Genoa](https://bliptext.com/articles/republic-of-genoa) had lately submitted) sided with the [House of Anjou](https://bliptext.com/articles/house-of-valois-anjou) and dispatched a [Genoese](https://bliptext.com/articles/republic-of-genoa) fleet in July under [Biagio Assereto](https://bliptext.com/articles/biagio-assereto) in order to relieve [Gaeta](https://bliptext.com/articles/gaeta).\n[Alfonso](https://bliptext.com/articles/alfonso-v-of-aragon) immediately sailed against the [Genoese](https://bliptext.com/articles/republic-of-genoa) fleet with superior numbers.\nThe two fleets met near the island of [Ponza](https://bliptext.com/articles/ponza) and after a long and gallant conflict, which lasted for ten hours, the [Genoese](https://bliptext.com/articles/republic-of-genoa) were completely victorious.\nThe royal galley of [Aragon](https://bliptext.com/articles/crown-of-aragon) was compelled to strike, and Alfonso V, King of [Aragon](https://bliptext.com/articles/crown-of-aragon) was captured.\n\n# Aftermath\nThe siege of [Gaeta](https://bliptext.com/articles/gaeta) was lifted, and the return of the [Genoese](https://bliptext.com/articles/republic-of-genoa) fleet was met with a triumphant reception at [Genoa](https://bliptext.com/articles/genoa).\nThe [King](https://bliptext.com/articles/alfonso-v-of-aragon) and all the noble [Aragonese](https://bliptext.com/articles/crown-of-aragon) prisoners were then brought to [Milan](https://bliptext.com/articles/milan) before the [Duke](https://bliptext.com/articles/duchy-of-milan), and with this one strike the war seemed already over.\n However the [King of Aragon](https://bliptext.com/articles/alfonso-v-of-aragon) managed to persuade the [Duke of Milan](https://bliptext.com/articles/duchy-of-milan) to his side and against [Rene d'Anjou](https://bliptext.com/articles/rene-d-anjou), and was set at liberty with all other prisoners.\nThe [Genoese](https://bliptext.com/articles/republic-of-genoa) were so utterly exasperated by the [Duke](https://bliptext.com/articles/filippo-maria-visconti)'s decision that they started to rebel against him, drove out the [Milanese](https://bliptext.com/articles/duchy-of-milan) garrison and overthrew his rule on 27 December 1435.\n\n# Sources","revisionCount":0},"hasMore":false,"nextCursor":null}

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