The Battle of Novara (or ''Battle of Bicocca''; Bicocca being a borough of Novara) was one of the battles fought between the

Austrian Empire The Austrian Empire (german: link=no, Kaiserthum Oesterreich, modern spelling , ) was a Central-Eastern European multinational great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the realms of the Habsburgs. During its existence, ...

and the Kingdom of Sardinia during the First Italian War of Independence, within the era of

Italian unification The unification of Italy ( it, Unità d'Italia ), also known as the ''Risorgimento'' (, ; ), was the 19th-century political and social movement that resulted in the consolidation of different states of the Italian Peninsula into a single ...

. Lasting the whole day of 22 March 1849 and ending at dawn on 23 March, it resulted in a severe defeat and retreat of the Piedmontese (Sardinian) army.

Overview

An uneasy armistice made in 1848 between Austria and Sardinia lasted less than seven months, before

Charles Albert Charles Albert (; 2 October 1798 – 28 July 1849) was the King of Sardinia from 27 April 1831 until 23 March 1849. His name is bound up with the first Italian constitution, the Albertine Statute, and with the First Italian War of Independenc ...

, King of Sardinia, denounced the truce on 12 March 1849. The Austrian army took the military initiative in Lombardy. Under the command of Field Marshal

Joseph Radetzky von Radetz Johann Josef Wenzel Anton Franz Karl, Graf Radetzky von Radetz ( en, John Joseph Wenceslaus Anthony Francis Charles, Count Radetzky of Radetz; cz, Jan Josef Václav Antonín František Karel hrabě Radecký z Radče; sl, Janez Jožef Vencelj ...

, it seized the fortress town of Mortara. The seizure of Mortara led to a battle between Austrian and Piedmontese troops at Novara, west of Milan. 70,000 Austrian troops, superior in numbers and armament to the 45,000 Piedmontese, thoroughly routed their opponent as they had at the Battle of Custoza the previous year. Piedmont also suffered from a lack of support from the smaller Italian states. General

Girolamo Ramorino General Girolamo Ramorino (8 April 1792 – 22 May 1849) was born in Genoa, in northern Italy. Career In the Napoleonic Wars, he fought under Napoleon in Russia. He later took part in the 1821 Piedmont uprising in Italy. In 1830–31, Ramori ...

was accused of disobeying orders before the Battle of Novara, and, that same year, he was executed. The Piedmontese were driven back to Borgomanero at the foot of the

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...

, and the Austrian forces occupied Novara, Vercelli and

Trino Trino ( pms, Trin) is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Vercelli in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about southwest of Vercelli, at the foot of the Montferrat hills. Trino borders the following mu ...

, with the road to the Piedmontese capital, Turin, lying open to them.

Aftermath

Austrian general Baron Julius von Haynau subdued Brescia, 54 miles NE of Milan, and Charles Albert abdicated in favor of his son Victor Emmanuel, who would later become the first king of a unified Italy. Friedrich Engels wrote "that, after this defeat, a revolution and proclamation of a republic in Turin is expected, arises from the fact that the attempt is being made to prevent it by the abdication of Charles Albert in favour of his eldest son." A Piedmontese Republic was not created, though a Roman Republic had already been proclaimed in February, and there existed a Venetian Republic as well. Charles Albert exiled himself to Oporto, Portugal, and died shortly thereafter. A peace treaty was signed on 9 August. Piedmont was forced to pay an indemnity of 65 million francs to Austria. A reenactment of the battle occurs every year. The Austrian frigate '' Novara'', which went on a round-the-world scientific expedition between 1857 and 1859, was named after this Austrian victory.The Austrian Imperial Frigate SMS Novara

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle Of Novara (1849) Novara 1849 Novara 1849 Novara 1849 in Italy 1849 in the Austrian Empire Novara March 1849 events Novara Joseph Radetzky von Radetz