Napoleon Bonaparte's first command of a full army resulted in French domination over much of Italy and ended the War of the First Coalition.
Key Facts
- Campaign start
- 10 April 1796, Montenotte
- Mantua surrendered
- 2 February 1797
- Peace of Leoben signed
- 18 April 1797
- Treaty of Campo Formio
- 17 October 1797
- Key victory
- Battle of Rivoli, January 1797
- Austrian relief efforts defeated
- 4 attempts, Aug 1796–Jan 1797
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
France's ongoing War of the First Coalition against a broad European alliance, including Austria, Piedmont-Sardinia, and the Papal States, prompted the French Directory to commission Napoleon Bonaparte to lead the Army of Italy southward through the Alps in early 1796, seeking to relieve pressure on the Rhine front and knock Italy's powers out of the coalition.
From April 1796 to October 1797, Napoleon Bonaparte led the French Army of Italy in a rapid succession of campaigns: defeating Piedmont-Sardinia, chasing Austrian forces across Lombardy, besieging Mantua for months, suppressing revolts in Venice, and finally driving deep into Austria to compel the Peace of Leoben, before concluding the war with the Treaty of Campo Formio.
France achieved dominance over Northern and Central Italy, establishing a network of sister republics, while Austria received Venice in compensation for other territorial losses. The Treaty of Campo Formio ended the First Coalition, confirmed French predominance in Italy, and launched Napoleon's reputation as a commanding military and political figure in France.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Napoleon Bonaparte.
Side B
3 belligerents