# Franco-Austrian War in Italy (1859)

URL: https://history-france.com/timeline/1859-franco-austrian-war-in-italy
Location: Northern Italy
Categories: battle

French forces helped Piedmont defeat Austria at Magenta and Solferino. Within the broader Second Empire period, Napoleon III combined authoritarian rule with economic modernization, Parisian reconstruction and an ambitious foreign policy. Liberal reforms came late, and defeat by Prussia destroyed the empire. At this point in the timeline, the relevant governing authority is Napoleon III (Emperor of the French). Franco-Austrian War in Italy mattered because it changed the military or territorial balance and influenced the political choices that followed. The event is positioned here so visitors can read it alongside changes in government, warfare, society, religion, culture and France’s wider international setting.

## Why it matters
Franco-Austrian War in Italy mattered because it changed the military or territorial balance and influenced the political choices that followed.

Ruler at the time: [Napoleon III](https://history-france.com/rulers/napoleon-iii)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia topic lookup — Franco-Austrian War in Italy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=Franco-Austrian+War+in+Italy&go=Go)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Franco-Austrian War in Italy](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Franco-Austrian+War+in+Italy)
- [Vie-publique — French institutions and history](https://www.vie-publique.fr/)