In which battle did Napoleon defeat the Austrians in 1800?

Napoleon defeated the Austrians at the Battle of Marengo in 1800.

Fought on 14 June 1800 near Alessandria in Piedmont, Italy, the battle was part of the War of the Second Coalition. Napoleon, then First Consul of France, led the Army of the Reserve across the Alps and surprised Austria by threatening its communications in northern Italy.

The Austrian army under Michael von Melas initially pushed the French back and appeared close to victory. The battle changed when General Louis Desaix arrived with reinforcements late in the day. French artillery and a cavalry charge led by François Étienne de Kellermann broke the Austrian pursuit, forcing Melas to request an armistice the following day.

Marengo was more than a battlefield victory: it strengthened Napoleon’s political position in France and helped secure French control of northern Italy. It is often confused with Austerlitz, Jena, or Wagram, but those victories occurred later, in 1805, 1806, and 1809 respectively.