Battle of Custoza (1848)

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For the second battle fought at this location, see Battle of Custoza (1866).

Battle of Custoza

Part of the Italian Wars of Independence

Date	July 24 and July 25, 1848
Location	Custoza, near Verona
Result	Austrian victory

Belligerents

Kingdom of Sardinia

Austrian Empire

Commanders

Charles Albert of Sardinia

Joseph Radetzky von Radetz

Strength

22,000

33,000

Casualties and losses

unknown

v • d • e First Italian Independence War

Milan – Pastrengo – Santa Lucia – Goito – Peschiera – Vicenza – Custoza – Novara

The Battle of Custoza (1848) was fought on 24 and 25 July 1848 during the first Italian War of Independence between the armies of the Austrian Empire, led by Field Marshal Radetzky, and of the Kingdom of Sardinia, led by King Carlo Alberto of Piedmont.

1 Background
2 The Battle
3 The Aftermath
4 References

[edit] Background

In March 1848, the city-state of Milan launched an uprising against Austrian occupation. King Carlo Alberto of Piedmont supported the Milanese revolt and declared war on Austria. Venice also declared its independence from Austria. The Austrian Field Marshal Radetzky withdrew his forces from Milan to the defensive positions bsed on the four forts known as the "Quadrilateral": Verona, Mantua, Peschiera, and Legano. The Piedmontese succeeded in taking Peschiera after a short siege, bu Radetzky received substatial reinforcements.

[edit] The Battle

In July, Alberto led an army across the Mincio River and decided to occupy the hill-top town of Custoza. Radetzky responded with a decisive conterattack. In a two-day battle, he inflicted a painful defeat on the Piedmontese, with the Austrians taking Custoza after a furious hand-to-hand struggle. Both sides suffered major casulaties, each army having lost more than half of its troops during the fight.

[edit] The Aftermath

Radetzky's victory drove the Piedmontese out of Lombardy and forced them to sign a peace treaty with the Austrians. When the war resumed in March 1848, Radetzky was again victorious at Novara, resultig in King Carlo Alberto's abdication in favor of his son, Vittorio Emanuele. By August, Radetzky restored the Austrian authority throughout its Italian provinces.