Siege of Crema

Timeline

1. 1159Crema · CremaWhile besieging Milan on the main front, Frederick I dispatched imperial forces to besiege Crema. As an important ally of Milan, Crema refused to surrender and prepared for a prolonged defense behind its walls.
2. 1159Walls of Crema · CremaThe imperial forces bound previously captured Milanese prisoners to the fronts of siege towers and battering rams as living shields, making it difficult for Crema's defenders to fire back at their own countrymen. This cruel tactic greatly weakened the defenders' will to resist and became a notorious controversial episode in the history of medieval warfare.
3. 1159Crema · CremaAfter about six weeks of siege, with food exhausted, morale shattered by the human shield tactic, and no hope of relief, Crema's defenders were forced to open the gates and surrender. The imperial forces occupied the city and reached a temporary truce with Milan.