Muslim World
The Battle of Cremona: The Fall of the Lombards
When arriving in Genoa, Martel after showing the size of its army [1] for the local authorities, obtains a fast surrender of the city without major problems [2]. So soon resuppling and marching to Piacenza, using the passes between the mountains for a faster journey.
After crossing the Trebbia River and arriving in Piacenza, Martel orders his brave army to go with everything against the forces of the city, that counts 6,200 soldiers under the command of the Duke of Piacenza, the Duke had ordered the construction of fortifications after receiving news of the arrival of the frankish army, after the first total attack of the army of Charles Martel, almost 5 times greater than the one of the enemy, 4 the duke's forces manage to prevent the success of the frank attack, but at the cost of heavy casualties for both the sides, after reorganizing, the army of Martel goes to a second attack, that surpasses the damaged and tired army of the duke easily, the same surrenders to the forces of Martel, that with captured Piacenza, cross the Po River and puts Pavia in siege in mid-May.
But Martel receives a letter from the Pope that the lombards are coming to the rescue, and the same soon broadens the siege and leaves a small fraction of his army to keep the siege alive [3], with the major part he stands in Cremona, with the aim of intercepting the Lombards in a favorable position, the first great battle of the Charles' campaign is eminent.
In early June, the lombards arrive near Cremona and soon Charles intercept them, starting the Battle of Cremona.
With a strong 23.000 man army, Charles manage to be on the defensive against the 21.000 lombard army, and try to trap them opening purposely his left flank to the enemy cavalry by moving his infantry to make something like a semicircle. The lombards do exactly what Charles want and do a cavalry charge in the frank exposed left flank. When the lombard cavalry reach the enemy lines, frank pike square formations who are in the rear of the army, await for them and, with help of frank cavalry detachments who are too in the rear, repel their charge, causing heavy casualties and leaving the right lombard flank vulnerable, possibiliting a full frank charge here, causing a collapse of this part of the lombard army and consequently of all their forces (except those that can flee).
After his great victory, making the Lombard army succumb, Charles Martel returns in its siege to the Pavia, managing to capture the localities near the city completely with certain facility, and sending small detachments of troops to put the area around him under his control. Meanwhile, Liutprand, the king of the Lombards, defended Pavia with 6,400 soldiers hoping to receive relief from a new Lombard army [4].
[1] - An army of approximately 26.000 men
[2] - There were a thousand soldiers making the garrison of the city, and there was not a beautiful one there of a plan to defend the city
[3] - The goal was simply to keep the siege "alive", in this case, to prevent the enemy from finding out that he did not have as many troops as before (which helps by the factor that he was waiting for the army that was coming to the rescue)
[4] - He does not know of the defeat of the reinforcement in Cremona
