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Battle of Monte Porzio

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The Battle of Monte Porzio or Battle of Tusculum was fought between a small hill outside the city of Tusculum and the city walls, at a place called "Prataporci", on 29 May 1167, Whitsunday. In the historical book Chronica Universalis, Sicardo wrote about the site of battle:...apud Montem Portium.

The "Commune of Rome" Army, called the "greatest army which Rome had sent into the field in centuries was defeated by the forces of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa and the local princes of Tusculum and Albano.

In 1166, Barbarossa set out on an expedition to Italy with the intent of deposing the antimperialist Pope Alexander III and setting up his antipope, Paschal III, in the Lateran, the Papal Palace and closed the age of the Italian city-states. Holy Roman Prince-electors Archchancellor Rainald of Dassel, Archbishop of Cologne, and Christian of Buch, Archbishop of Mainz, were sent into Latium (a region in Central Italy around Rome) to take the city-states that opposed the power of the emperor.

The Battle of Monte Porzio is part of the historical background of the long struggle between free Italian city-state and the Emperor. The Emperor wanted to impose his tyrannical rule to all free Italian city-state, in Rome too.

On 18 May, Rainald took Civita Vecchia and then moved on to friendly Tusculum, possibly at the urging of Raino, Count of Tusculum. The "Roman communal forces" had meanwhile been harassing Tusculum, though Pope Alexander urged them to abstain from this. Following the arrival of Rainald, the Communal Consul of Rome sent an army to besiege the Archchancellor in their ancient rival city.

Consequently, Raino and Rainald sent word to Christian, who was then besieging Ancona. Among Christian's army were Alexander II, Bishop of Liège, and Robert III of Loritello. According to Romuald of Salerno, also present with Christian's army was Andrew of Rupecanina. Christian's army consisted of about 1,300 troops. According to Otto of St. Blasien, this was a combination of 500 milites and 800 Cæaesarianos. Otto also wrote there were 300 men in Tusculum. Other chroniclers claimed the Holy Roman Emperor had 1,000 cavalry and some Brabantine mercenaries. The lowest total estimate for Christian's forces was 500 men.

Christian encamped his army beside the hill and rested it for a day while trying to negotiate a resolution. The Communal Roman army refused Christian's diplomatic overtures and instead attacked with their whole force, numbering 10,000, on Whitsunday, but they were badly armed. The name of the leader of the Roman force has not been preserved, but it may have been Oddo Frangipani. The imperial forces were gravely outnumbered, but they prepared for battle anyway. The Brabançons were quickly routed, but the cavalry from Cologne stood up to the Roman infantry. Two charges from Tusculum divided the Romans: one hitting their flank and one running through the centre. The Roman cavalry fled the field and the Brabançons descended on the Roman camp. A third of the Roman host made it into the city walls before nightfall. Thousands were eventually taken prisoner to Viterbo (including a son of Oddo Frangipani) and more left dead on the field and the road.

The pope and Oddo took refuge in the Coliseum and called in reinforcements. The city prepared for a siege. Later the Pope fled to the city of Benevento and the Emperor captured Rome. The army of the Emperor Frederick, however, was hit hard by an epidemic (malaria or plague) and had to withdraw his forces to Germany.

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