Battle of Magenta

The Battle of Magenta was fought on 4 June 1859 near Magenta in Lombardy. French and Sardinian forces defeated the Austrian army during the Second Italian War of Independence.

Battle of Turbigo: A clash fought on 3 June 1859 near Turbigo, where French forces crossed the Ticino River before the Battle of Magenta. The French bridgehead at Turbigo enabled the advance toward Magenta.
Second Italian War of Independence: The 1859 war in which France and Sardinia fought Austria, leading to major changes in the political map of Italy. Magenta was a pivotal French-Sardinian victory in this war.
Napoleon III: Emperor of the French from 1852 to 1870 who led France into war against Austria in 1859. He directed French intervention alongside Sardinia in the campaign.
Armistice of Villafranca: The July 1859 agreement that ended hostilities between France and Austria during the Second Italian War of Independence. It halted the war that Magenta had helped turn against Austria.
Magenta, Lombardy: A town west of Milan in Lombardy, Italy, near the site of the 1859 battle. The town and its surroundings were the battlefield.
Ticino River: A river in northern Italy that flows from the Swiss Alps to the Po River. French forces crossed it to approach the Austrian positions at Magenta.
Franco-Sardinian Alliance: A military alliance between France and the Kingdom of Sardinia formed in 1858 against Austrian power in Italy. It brought French troops into the campaign that produced the victory at Magenta.
Victor Emmanuel II: King of Sardinia from 1849 and first king of a unified Italy from 1861. He represented Sardinia, France's ally, during the war against Austria.
Lombardy: A region of northern Italy that passed from Austrian to Sardinian control in 1859. The victory opened the way for French-Sardinian occupation of the region.
Battle of Magenta order of battle: A reconstruction of the units and commanders that fought at Magenta on 4 June 1859. It identifies the forces engaged in the battle.

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