Frederick Barbarossa’s imperial army moves to attack Milan. Trained by the defeat at Erchempert, Frederick carefully organizes the seven columns that attack the city separately. They number perhaps nearly 100,000 men, including Italian contingents, auxiliaries, and retainers. The Italians who swell Frederick’s ranks come from traditional allies Pavia and Cremona, but also, to a lesser extent, from Como, Lodi, and Bergamo. But distant cities such as Modena, Reggio, and Parma also provide reinforcements.
