Centuries of Feud Boil Over
In 1325, tensions between the Italian city-states of Bologna and Modena erupted into full-scale war. But this wasn’t just a local skirmish — it was one chapter in the larger Guelph and Ghibelline conflict, a power struggle that had divided northern Italy for generations. What made this war unforgettable, however, was what Modena carried off when the fighting was done: a wooden bucket.
Political Lines and Border Raids
Bologna supported the Pope as a Guelph city, while Modena stood with the Holy Roman Emperor as part of the Ghibelline faction. Tensions had been high since Bologna seized Bazzano and Savigno in 1296. In the summer of 1325, hostilities escalated. Bolognese forces raided Modenese territory, torching fields and ravaging the countryside. In September, the fortress of Monteveglio, held by Bologna, was handed over to Modena by two disloyal castellans — both of whom were later executed.
The Battle of Zappolino
On November 15, Bologna marched out with 32,000 men to reclaim lost ground. Modena, under Passerino Bonacolsi, fielded just 7,000 troops and met the enemy at Zappolino, inside Bolognese territory. Despite the odds, Modena launched a successful attack. The Bolognese forces collapsed and were driven back toward their city. Around 2,000 casualties were reported across both sides, with Modena decisively victorious in the war’s only battle.
A Bucket Becomes a Trophy
As Modenese troops withdrew, they reportedly took a wooden bucket from a well just outside Bologna’s city walls. Though a popular legend claimed the war had been fought over the bucket, historical records show that the conflict stemmed from Modena’s capture of Monteveglio. The bucket became a spoil of war, housed in Modena’s Torre della Ghirlandina, where it remains on display. It became so iconic that 17th-century poet Alessandro Tassoni wrote a satirical epic, La secchia rapita, dramatizing the event.
Aftermath and Long-Term Impact
The Modenese victory boosted Ghibelline influence in the region, but it didn’t end the conflict. The struggle between the two factions continued for another 200 years, finally subsiding when Charles I of Spain asserted control over Italy in 1529. The War of the Bucket remains a striking episode in medieval history — a clash over politics and territory remembered for a curious object taken from a well.
Thousands fought and died in 1325 when Bologna and Modena went to war.
But what survived in popular memory wasn’t the cause, the battle, or the politics—it was a wooden bucket.
For centuries, people have said the war began over a stolen bucket.
That isn’t true…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/4KCww7Y0fh
— Detective Tiger’s Stories (@TigerDetective) June 22, 2025