The Bombardment of Genoa was a military event during the War of the Reunions when France bombarded the city of

Genoa Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian census, the Province of ...

from the sea between May 18 and May 28, 1684.

Background

The

Republic of Genoa The Republic of Genoa ( lij, Repúbrica de Zêna ; it, Repubblica di Genova; la, Res Publica Ianuensis) was a medieval and early modern maritime republic from the 11th century to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast. During the La ...

was strategically a very important ally of the

Spanish Empire The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its prede ...

, as the Spanish Duchy of Milan was landlocked. All transport between Spain and Milan went through the port of Genoa. Furthermore, the financing of the Spanish crown by the Genoese bankers had made both countries natural allies ever since 1557, when the state bankruptcy of Philip II had ended the reign of the German

Fuggers The House of Fugger () is a German upper bourgeois family that was historically a prominent group of European bankers, members of the fifteenth- and sixteenth-century mercantile patriciate of Augsburg, international mercantile bankers, and ven ...

as Spanish financiers. After the

War of Devolution In the 1667 to 1668 War of Devolution (, ), France occupied large parts of the Spanish Netherlands and Franche-Comté, both then provinces of the Holy Roman Empire (and properties of the King of Spain). The name derives from an obscure law know ...

and the Franco-Dutch War (1672-78), it was clear that

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

had replaced Spain as the most powerful country in Europe. In October 1683, France annexed some territory in the

Spanish Netherlands Spanish Netherlands (Spanish: Países Bajos Españoles; Dutch: Spaanse Nederlanden; French: Pays-Bas espagnols; German: Spanische Niederlande.) (historically in Spanish: ''Flandes'', the name "Flanders" was used as a ''pars pro toto'') was the H ...

, starting the War of the Reunions. When Spain sent reinforcements via the port of Genoa, the French decided to punish the city.

French attack

Without a formal declaration of war, a French fleet, commanded by

Abraham Duquesne Abraham Duquesne, marquis du Bouchet (2 February 1688) was a French naval officer, who also saw service as an admiral in the Swedish navy. He was born in Dieppe, a seaport, in 1610, and was a Huguenot. He was the son of a naval officer and there ...

, bombarded the city of Genoa between May 18 and May 28, 1684. About 13,000 cannonballs were shot at the city in ten days time with a pause from May 21–22. The bombardment was terrible for the city and its people because it was the first time in history in which explosive bombs were used, although of stone or iron. The French tried to land troops at

Albaro Albaro is an affluent residential neighbourhood of the Italian city of Genoa, located east of the city centre. It was formerly an independent comune, named San Francesco d'Albaro, included in the city of Genoa in 1873. At present, together with ...

(as a diversion) and

Sampierdarena Sampierdarena (also San Pier d'Arena; Ligurian: San Pè d'ænn-a) is a major port and industrial area of Genoa, in northwest Italy. With San Teodoro it forms the West Central (Centro Ovest) ''municipio''. Geography Sampierdarena lies on t ...

(as the main attack), but they were defeated by Genoese troops and volunteers from the Polcevera valley.

Consequences

In 1682, François Pidou de Saint Olon had become the first French resident envoy to the Republic of Genoa,''Europa triumphans: court and civic festivals in early modern Europe'' J. R. Mulryne p.240 Note 14
/ref> and he was actively involved in the bombardment: indeed he communicated precious information to the French about the defence of Genoa and the position of the batteries of guns, being practically a spy. The Republic of Genoa came under French influence for the next 100 years, although it remained independent and became neutral. The Genoese bankers and traders made new economic and financial links with France.

Notes

Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Genoa, Bombardment of Conflicts in 1684 Battles involving France Battles involving the Republic of Genoa 1684 in Europe 1684 in the Republic of Genoa Events in Genoa