Nevertheless, the French under King Louis XII were driven out of the city of Milan the following month by the Holy League.

[2] In June 1513, the French army, consisting of more than 20,000 under Louis de la Trémoille, besieged the city of Novara, which was held by Swiss mercenaries.

[2] After marching to Novara the night before, the French were surprised at dawn by a Swiss relief army of some 12,000 troops.

Caught off guard, the French heavy cavalry was unable to properly deploy, fled the field, and left the baggage train to the Swiss.

[9][a] Additionally, after the battle, the Swiss executed the hundreds of German Landsknecht mercenaries they had captured who had fought for the French.