Italian campaign of 1796–1797

The Italian campaign of 1796–1797 (Italian: Campagna d'Italia), also known as the First Italian Campaign, was a series of military operations in Italy during the War of the First Coalition. Led by Napoleon Bonaparte, the First French Republic's Army of Italy fought and defeated the armies of the Kingdom of Sardinia, the Habsburg monarchy, and the Papal States, as well as various revolts, notably in the Republic of Venice.

The campaign opened with the Montenotte campaign on 10 April 1796, where despite the limitations of his means, Bonaparte descended from the Alps into Italy and achieved a rapid series of victories that decisively knocked Piedmont-Sardinia out of the First Coalition. Next, Napoleon chased the Austrian army across Lombardy, culminating in the French victory at Lodi on 10 May 1796. After putting down revolts in Pavia and Milan, the focus of Napoleon's war in Italy shifted in June 1796 to the long and difficult siege of Mantua, which would see the French blockade the city and defeat four relief efforts by Austrian armies from August 1796 to January 1797. As he besieged Mantua, Napoleon also directed the French forces in a series of invasions of the states of Central and Northern Italy, such as of Modena and Reggio, Genoa, and the Papal States. In addition to these events, Napoleon would also conclude a Franco-Sicilian-Neapolitan treaty on 10 October 1796.

After the annihilation of the final Austrian relief force at Rivoli in January 1797, the weakened and starved garrison of Mantua finally surrendered on 2 February 1797; Bonaparte was not present at the surrender, as he was occupied with another invasion of the Papal States, resulting in the Treaty of Tolentino on 19 February 1797. Bonaparte next turned north from Italy, with a main force thrusting northeast and a secondary force invading the Tyrol. Although he fought his way over the Alps and had reached Klagenfurt by the end of March, the supporting offensive he expected by the French forces on the Rhine was slow to materialize and revolts developed in his rear. Rather than retreat, Napoleon opted to leave his lines of communication exposed and drive further into Austria as a show of force, which culminated with the Peace of Leoben on 18 April 1797. As part of the terms, Austria would receive Venice, resulting in Bonaparte dissolving the Republic of Venice in May 1797.

Napoleon's campaign had seen the French achieve a series of decisive victories, establishing French domination over much of Northern and Central Italy. Although Napoleon had previous military experience, the campaign marked his first in command of a full army, and his victories led to great personal prestige and widespread popularity in France. Throughout the campaign, he independently exercised authority over conquered territories and established a series of sister republics under French domination. Although Napoleon often conflicted with or disregarded the directives of the French Directory, his victories across Italy and his march into Austria concluded the war victoriously for the First French Republic, and on 17 October 1797, he personally signed the Treaty of Campo Formio. This sanctioned the defeat of the Holy Roman Empire and the First Coalition and confirmed the predominance of French influence in Italy, especially on the peninsular elites.