French Italian Campaign Medal 1859.

A solid silver medal awarded to those who took part in the 1859 Italian Campaign, established by Napoleon III, following the 1859 French campaign in Italy during the Second Italian War of Independence, also called the Franco-Austrian War, the Sardinian War, the Austro-Sardinian War or Italian War of 1859.
During in the Plombières Agreement 1858, France agreed to support Sardinia's efforts to expel Austria from Italy in return for territorial compensation in the form of the Duchy of Savoy and the County of Nice. The two states signed a military alliance in January 1859. Sardinia mobilised its army on 9th March 1859, and Austria mobilized a month later.
On 23rd April, Austria delivered an ultimatum to Sardinia demanding its demobilization. Upon Sardinia's refusal, the war began on 26th April 1859. Austria invaded Sardinia three days later, and France declared war on Austria on 3rd May.
The Austrian invasion was stopped by the arrival of French troops in Piedmont that had begun in late April. The Austrians were defeated at the Battle of Magenta on 4th June and pushed back to Lombardy, where the Franco-Sardinian victory at the Battle of Solferino on 24th June resulted in the end of the war and the signing of the Armistice of Villafranca on 12 July.
Austria ceded Lombardy to France, which, in turn, gave it to Sardinia. Exploiting the collapse of Austrian power in Italy, Sardinia annexed the United Provinces of Central Italy on 22nd March 1860, consisting of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, the Duchy of Parma, the Duchy of Modena and Reggio and the Papal Legations,. Two days later, Sardinia ceded Savoy and Nice to France at the Treaty of Turin as compensation for its assistance.
During the bloody three-month campaign, French losses amounted to 8,000 dead and 40,000 wounded. To reward all participants and ensure the memory of this glorious military campaign, the Medal was created by Imperial Decree on August 11, 1859.
This fine example is in very good condition with just slight wear to the high points. It comes on replacement ribbon.

Code: 29216