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The 'Battle of Casalecchio' took place on June 26, 1402 near the town of Casalecchio di Reno, near Bologna. At this battle, a Bolognese army under Giovanni I Bentivoglio opposed Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Duke of Milan, and his allies, the Malatesta of Rimini and the Gonzaga of Mantua. Bologna was aided by Florence in these cities' struggle to halt the expansion of Visconti's power.
Visconti was aided by many Italian lords and condottieri. The commander in chief was the famous leader Alberico da Barbiano. Chiavello Chiavelli, lord of Fabriano, was present at the battle. With Facino Cane, the condottiere Ludovico Gabriotto Cantelli (Ludovico da Parma) commanded the Milanese vanguard of 2,000 cavalry. Cantelli fought Bernardo della Serra and captured Rigo Galletto, Pietro da Carrara, and Brunoro Della Scala, who were taken to Parma.
The Bolognese-Florentine army was under Muzio Attendolo.
The Bolognese were routed and their leader Giovanni I Bentivoglio was killed. Gian Galeazzo Visconti took Bologna and planned to assault Florence next. However, he fell ill on August 10, 1402 and died on September 3.