The War That Ended Because a Bucket Was Stolen
In 1325, the Italian city-states of Bologna and Modena went to war over a wooden bucket taken from a well. The story of the War of the Oaken Bucket reveals how medieval civic pride, old grudges, and honor culture could turn a trivial theft into a battle that killed thousands.
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Modena soldiers stole a wooden bucket from a public well to humiliate the city of Bologna.
The conflict was actually a proxy war between the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor.
Modena's seizure of Monteveglio castle served as the true military trigger for the thirteen twenty-five conflict.
Over thirty thousand soldiers fought in the Battle of Zappolino, resulting in thousands of deaths.
The stolen bucket remains on display today in Modena's Torre della Ghirlandina as a war trophy.
A formal armistice signed in January thirteen twenty-six finally ended the hostilities between the two cities.
- 01Intro1 min
- 02The Legend of the Well2 min
- 03The Real Casus Belli2 min
- 04The Bloodshed at Zappolino2 min
- 05The Trophy and the Memory2 min
- 06Outro1 min
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