NOVARA, BATTLE OF

(March 23, 1849), battle of the first Italian War of Independence in which 70,000 Austrian troops under Field Marshal Joseph Radetzky thoroughly defeated 100,000 poorly trained Italian troops (not all of whom were actually employed in the battle) under Charles Albert, king of Sardinia-Piedmont. It was fought at Novara, 28 miles (45 km) west of Milan, 11 days after Charles Albert had denounced the armistice that he had signed the previous August after his defeat at the first Battle of Custoza. This new defeat, a result of Radetzky's military superiority and Piedmont's lack of support from the smaller Italian states, led to a treaty on Aug. 9, 1849, which included an indemnity of 65 million francs to be paid to Austria. The defeat also led to the abdication of Charles Albert in favour of his son Victor Emmanuel II.