Which French general successfully defended Genoa in 1800?
Answer
André Masséna
Which French general successfully defended Genoa in 1800? André Masséna.
During the War of the Second Coalition, Masséna commanded the French forces defending Genoa from an Austrian army led by Michael von Melas. The siege lasted from 19 April to 4 June 1800 and formed part of the wider campaign that culminated in Napoleon’s victory at Marengo.
Masséna organized an energetic defense, launching repeated sorties despite severe shortages of food and supplies. Genoa was blockaded by land and sea, and starvation and disease devastated both soldiers and civilians. The defenders ultimately evacuated the city after negotiations, so the siege itself ended in an Anglo-Austrian victory—but Masséna held out long enough to keep Austrian forces occupied while Napoleon crossed the Alps and advanced into Italy.
A common mix-up is to credit Louis-Gabriel Suchet or Jean-de-Dieu Soult, who commanded French forces elsewhere in the region. Masséna was the senior commander responsible for Genoa’s defense.