Battle
Now that the papal participation in the plot against him had become clear, Frederick wrote to the noblemen to inform them of the pope's vile behavior, and marched with an army to Lyon in 1247. Once he had arrived in Turin, however, he received news that Parma had rebelled again. According to Salimbene di Adam, a group of Gulphs Parmigian refugees who had taken shelter in Piacenza led by Ugo di Sanvitale (the brother of the new bishop of Parma) and Bernardo di Rolando Rossi (the pope's brother-in-law and a former collaborator of Frederick). They defeated the imperial garrison under the imperial podestà Enrico Testa near Borghetto di Taro and occupied the city with no resistance, since the garrison of Enzio of Sardinia, Frederick's son, was besieging Quinzano. Frederick immediately diverted his troops to Emilia, and at the same time he called for reinforces from friendly lords and communes. The imperial army was also joined by Enzio, who raised the siege of Quinzano, and by a Cremonese contingent led by Ezzelino III da Romano, as well as by soldiers from Padua, Verona and Vicenza.
The pope did his best to send help to Parma from cities faithful to him, such as Milan, Piacenza, Mantua and Ferrara. Gregorio di Montelongo was able to reach the city, organizing its defense with Bernardo Rossi and Gilberto da Gente.
Perhaps due to a shortage of siege weapons, Frederick decided to take the city by starvation. The Guelphs were however determined to resist thanks to the papal help, and the siege dragged for eight months. Frederick ordered the construction of an entrenched camp near Grola, calling it Victoria (Latin for "victory"), which should include a houses, palaces and a church, declaring that it would be come the seat of his kingdom after the fall of Parma. However, several noblemen abandoned him. Further, on 12 February 1248 Gregorio di Montelongo launched a sortie: Frederick was hunting in the Taro valley, and Vittoria was destroyed. He took refuge at Borgo San Donnino, and then moved to the faithful Cremona.
Read more about this topic: Battle Of Parma
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