The Battle of Volta Mantovana was fought on the 15th of October 1080 between troops raised by the schismatic bishops of Lombardy loyal to the emperor Henry IV and to anti-pope Guibert of Ravenna against forces commanded by Matilda of Tuscany.
The battle took place during the Investiture Controversy opposing the reforming Papacy of pope Gregory VII and his foremost advocate Matilda to Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV.
[1] Historian David J Hay has suggested the likely leader of the pro-Imperial troops was bishop Tedald of Milan, whose installation had sparked the controversy in the first place and who had played a key role in the synod of Brixen earlier that summer, promoting the deposition of Pope Gregory VII and the election of Guibert of Ravenna as antipope Clement III.
[2] Bonizo of Sutri's Liber ad Amicum indicates an otherwise unknown illegitimate son was commanding the army of the schismatic Lombard bishops, writing "[Henry IV]'s son fought Matilda's excellent forces and defeated them" (eius filius cum exercitus excellentissimus Matilade pugnavit et victoriam obtinuit).
[7] The victory of the pro-Imperial forces allowed Henry IV (whose rival Rudolf had been killed at Hohenmölsen) to enter the March of Verona and the Lombard plains unopposed in the spring of the following year.