The First Italian War, or Charles VIII's Italian War, was the opening phase of the Italian Wars. The war pitted Charles VIII of France, who had initial Milanese aid, against the See more

Pope Innocent VIII, in conflict with King Ferdinand I of Naples over Ferdinand's refusal to pay feudal dues to the papacy, excommunicated and … See more

French invasion
Charles was preceded in Italy by his cousin Louis d'Orleans, who in July 1494 arrived in the … See more

During this war an outbreak of syphilis occurred among the French troops. This outbreak was the first widely documented outbreak of the disease in human history, and eventually led to the Columbian theory of the origin of syphilis. See more

This is an overview of notable events including battles during the war.
• 25 January 1494: king Ferdinand I of Naples died and was succeeded by his son Alfonso II of Naples (who … See more

Over the centuries, historians did not agree in attributing the blame for a conflict that would then start a series of wars spanning over half a century, as a result of which the Italian … See more

• Battle of Fornovo, 6 July 1495.
• Francesco II Gonzaga at the Battle of Taro, Jacopo Tintoretto, 1578-1579. See more