of Bologna headed by their podestà, aided by allies from Florence and Romagna, besieged the fortress of Monteveglio. Quickly, an opposing force arrived, headed by Cangrande della Scala, the leader of the Ghibelline faction, Azzone Visconti of Milan, with many of his professional German troops, and Rinaldo, marchese of Ferrara, leading forces of Modena, Mantua and Ferrara. Cangrande soon departed for Verona, but the Bolognese took for their captain the condottiero Malatesta, lord of Rimini. The battle took place 15 November 1325 around sunset. The Bolognese had 30,000 foot soldiers, who would have been haphazardly armed, and 2500 horsemen facing 2800 horsemen on the Modenese side, who were supported by 5000 foot soldiers. Bonacolsi devised a plan to feign a river crossing in an effort to distract part of the Bolognese forces. They put this tactic in action a day prior to the main battle at Zappolino. During the cover of night the Modenese headed south to the modern town of Marano sul Panaro. They crossed the river, and after a short skirmish with a Bolognese vanguard began to march towards Zappolino. The Bolognese realizing they had fallen for a trap began to recall the men that had been sent to the north. The Modenese were positioned close to where the town of Ziribega stands today, while the Bolognese were positioned on a slope coming down from the hill that the fortress was located on. Bonacolsi realized that if he did not strike now while the Bolognese were unorganized it would be far more difficult to attain victory. The Modenese began an attack on the Bolognese lines, and soon heavy fighting erupted. Bonacolsi sent his cavalry around the side, in order to attack the Bolognese from behind. The battle was over by nightfall. Within a couple of hours, the Bolognese were routed. The Modenese advanced to the very walls of Bologna and destroyed the castles of Crespellano, Zola, Samoggia, Anzola, Castelfranco, Piumazzo and the chiusa del Reno near Casalecchio, which diverted the river towards the city. They did not attempt a siege of the city but scornfully organized a palio outside the very gates of the city ad æternam memoriam præmissorum et æternam Bononiensium scandalum, "to the eternal memory of those sent out on the expedition and the eternal shame of Bologna", and then returned to Modena brandishing a bucket taken from a well outside Porta San Felice; twenty-six captured