Napoleon's victory at Marengo expelled Austria from Italy and cemented his political authority as First Consul following his 1799 coup.
Key Facts
- Date
- 14 June 1800
- Austrian casualties
- ~14,000 killed, wounded or captured
- Desaix's arrival
- ~5:30 pm, stabilizing the French position
- Austrian commander
- General Michael von Melas
- French commander
- First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte
- Location
- Near Alessandria, Piedmont, Italy
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Austria's surprise advance toward Genoa in mid-April 1800 prompted Bonaparte to lead his army hastily over the Alps. After cutting Melas's supply lines and defeating Austrian forces at Montebello, the French concentrated near Alessandria. Deceived by a double agent, Bonaparte dispersed his forces, leaving his main army vulnerable to an Austrian assault on 14 June.
On 14 June 1800, Austrian forces under Melas launched a surprise attack across the Fontanone stream near Marengo village. The Austrians initially broke the French center, forcing a withdrawal by 2:30 pm. Général Desaix arrived around 5:30 pm and stabilized the French line; Kellermann's cavalry then routed the pursuing Austrian column, reversing the outcome of the battle.
The Austrian defeat resulted in approximately 14,000 killed, wounded, or captured, and drove Austrian forces out of Italy. The battle secured Bonaparte's political grip on France following his coup of November 1799. Bonaparte subsequently launched a propaganda campaign that rewrote the account of the battle multiple times during his reign to glorify his role.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Napoleon Bonaparte, Louis Alexandre Berthier, Louis Desaix, François Étienne de Kellermann.
Side B
1 belligerent
Michael von Melas, Peter Karl Ott von Bátorkéz.