Battle of Magenta

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Battle of Magenta
Part of the Second Italian War of Independence
The Italian camp at the Battle of Magenta
Date 4 June 1859 [1] Location Magenta, present-day Italy Result Franco-Sardinian victory
Belligerents
Second French Empire  Sardinia	Austrian Empire
Commanders
Emperor Napoleon III Marechal Mac-Mahon	Feldmarschall Ferencz Gyulaj
Strength
59,100 infantry 91 guns	125,000 infantry[2]
Casualties and losses
657 dead 3,858 wounded	1,368 dead 4,538 wounded 4,500 captured

v • d • e Second Italian War of Independence Montebello – Varese – San Fermo – Palestro – Magenta – Treponti – Solferino

The Battle of Magenta was fought on June 4, 1859 during the Second Italian War of Independence, resulting in a French-Sardinian victory under Napoleon III against the Austrians under Marshal Ferencz Gyulai.

It took place near the town of Magenta in northern Italy on June 4, 1859. Napoleon III's army crossed the Ticino River and outflanked the Austrian right forcing the Austrian army under General Gyulai to retreat. The battle of Magenta was not particularly large, but it was a decisive victory for the French-Sardinian forces. Marie Edme Patrice Maurice de MacMahon (1808-1893) was created Duke of Magenta for his role in this battle, and later served as President of the French Republic.

It should be noted that the Franco-Piedmontese coalition consisted in overwhelming majority of French troops (1100 Piedmontese and 58.000 French). Their victory can therefore be considered as mostly a French victory.

[edit] Aftermath

The colour magenta, discovered in 1859, was named after this battle^[3], as was the Boulevard de Magenta in Paris.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• The web site of the battle. (English) (Italian) (French) (German)

Coordinates: 45°27′22″N 8°48′7″E / 45.45611°N 8.80194°E / 45.45611; 8.80194