Clement iv was elected Pope in 1264. He entered Italy in disguise and did not dare enter Rome
due to Ghibelline hostility. He resumed negotiations with Charles I of Anjou
to continue hostility against the Hohenstaufen dynasty. Crucially Charles was prepared to
swear allegiance to the Pope, something the Hohenstaufens refused to do. Together Clement
iv and Charles I planned the campaign against the Hohenstaufens. Charles I marched to Naples
and shortly after the Battle of Benevento ensued. The Battle of Benevento was fought in 1266
near Benevento in southern Italy were the armies of Charles I of Anjou and king Manfred of Sicily
this was part of a wider tension between Guelphs and Ghibelline these were the political groups who
supported respectively the pope or the emperor Manfred had a slight numerical advantage and a
strong defensive position his army comprised of Saracen mercenaries and German knights
Charles's army consisted of mainly French troops and a small number of Italians
Manfred sent his Saracens forward and initially drove back Charles's infantry and crossbowman
later on the Saracens were charged down by the German knights and defeated
the Germans had a stronger armor but moved slowly on the battlefield the French and
Italians charged the German line but were beaten back the German armor seeming too strong
eventually the French knights realised the German armor did not protect
the soldiers at their armpits
at this point the French knights engaged the German knights at close quarters
and almost wiped them out Manfred was now losing this battle and his forces had been split
he threw in his reserves but his losses only increased Manfred's forces were rattled
and those who attempted to flee were cut down Manfred's nobles noticed this and also abandoned
Manfred to his fate Manfred had previously exchanged his outer clothes to a trusted
friend in order that he was harder to target on the battlefield Manfred refused to submit
and with a small group of trusted followers they engaged the enemy head-on and died the French took
few prisoners and the Germans who tried to cross a nearby river were weighed down by their armor
only one in six of Manfred's 3600 cavalry avoided death or capture the Saracen mercenaries who had
fought for the holy roman emperors since Frederick ii Hohenstaufen had set up a colony at Lucera
this Saracen unit was completely annihilated at Benevento. Conradin son of Conrad invaded Italy
in 1268 to assert his claim to the throne the battle was fought in 1268 between the
Ghibelline forces of Conradin of Hohenstaufen and the Guelph troops of Charles I of Anjou
Conradin's army faced Charles army at Tagliacozzo
the Hohenstaufen army ranks included Spanish Italian and German knights in three divisions
one led by Conradin himself Charles army was a mixture of French and Italians organized in
three divisions Charles led the third division with the veteran French crusader Erard of Valery
this third division of veteran French knights was hidden from the battlefield Conradin's three
divisions held the early advantage and routed Charles's two divisions on the battlefield
a soldier wearing Charles's armor was killed and Charles's banner seized the Hohenstaufen
and forces were duped into thinking Charles had died and the battle was won
the Hohenstaufen and forces split up as they pursued the fleeing Charles divisions seeking loot
and retribution. Charles now moved his third veteran reserves and cut down Conradin's forces
Conradin fled but was captured imprisoned and beheaded in a marketplace in Naples
so ended the Hohenstaufen line Charles was crowned king of Sicily in Rome 1266
Charles was now king of the Two Sicilies, Sicily and southern Italy Charles
imprisoned Manfred's male sons and they died chained in captivity Charles of Anjou
confiscated numerous estates in Sicily to fund and reward his large court of Frenchmen
while Charles relied on wealth from Sicily he focused his time and attention on Naples