Montenotte - Destination Napoleon - European Federation of Napoleonic Cities

cairo montenotte

Montenotte, a town in the Liguria region, was the scene of the battle of the same name on 12 April 1796 during the Italian campaign and the wars of the French Revolution, between the French army commanded by Bonaparte and the armies of the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Holy Roman Empire under the command of Count Eugene-Guillaume d'Argenteau. This was Napoleon's first major victory, and it was a sign of his military genius.

Appointed commander-in-chief of the Army of Italy by the Directory, Napoleon Bonaparte took command in 1796. The strategy of the young general, faced with the complicated situation of the French army, threatened at sea and blocked on land, was to separate the Piedmontese and Austrian armies. The medieval town of Altare thus signs the

The First Italian Campaign began, during which Bonaparte defeated the Allied forces at Montenotte, Dego, Cosseria and Millesimo, using the only way to enter Italy without crossing the mountains. Once the victory was won, Napoleon said: "Hannibal crossed the Alps, we went around them".