riests of Mantua were with him.

On Sunday, the 5th of July, the French army, reduced by sickness and
desertion to less than ten thousand in number, and fatigued by long
forced marches across the Apennines, descended into the valley of the
Taro, and encamped at the village of Fornovo, on the right bank of the
mountain torrent. Further along the same bank, down in the plains, lay
the army of the league, and, in order to reach Lombardy, the French had
to cross the river in full view of the enemy's camp. Early on Monday
morning, the 6th of July, Charles, mounted on his favourite charger,
"Savoy," and wearing white and purple plumes in his cap, led the van of
his army across the Taro, swollen as it was by the late heavy rains. At
the same moment, the Marquis of Mantua and the Count of Caiazzo, at the
head of their light cavalry, attacked the French rear-guard, and the
battle began. Paolo Giovio describes the engagement that followed as the
fiercest battle of the age, in which more blood was spilt than in any
other during the last two hundred years, although Commines, who was
present with his monarch, says that the actual fighting only lasted a
quarter of an hour. On both sides the leaders fought with heroic
courage. Charles VIII. himself repeatedly led the charge against the
Milanese horse, and, calling on the chivalry of France to live or die
with him, dashed into the thickest of the fray. Once mounted on his
war-horse, and face to face with the foe, the ugly little deformed man
became a true king, and risked his life and liberty at the head of his
subjects. Francesco Gonzaga, on his part, performed prodigies of valour,
and had three horses killed under him, while his uncle, Rodolfo Gonzaga,
and many other gallant knights were left dead on the field. But personal
exploits could not atone for his want of generalship, and while the
marquis and his immediate followers were engaged in a desperate
hand-to-hand fight with the foe, a large body of his reserve remained
inactive on the banks of the Taro, and his Stradiots were engaged in
plundering the French camp. The result was that, in spite of their
superior numbers, the Italian ranks were broken and many of the
Venetians fled in confusion towards Parma, while the French succeeded in
crossing the river, and, early on Tuesday morning, continued their march
across the Lombard plain. But, as the camp and baggage remained in the
hands of the allies, the Italians claimed the victory.