The siege of Genoa took place in 1746 during the

War of the Austrian Succession The War of the Austrian Succession was a European conflict fought between 1740 and 1748, primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italian Peninsula, Italy, the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Related conflicts include King Ge ...

when an Allied force of

Austrians Austrians (, ) are the citizens and Nationality, nationals of Austria. The English term ''Austrians'' was applied to the population of Archduchy of Austria, Habsburg Austria from the 17th or 18th century. Subsequently, during the 19th century, ...

, Sardinian soldiers, and

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

sailors besieged the capital of the

Republic of Genoa The Republic of Genoa ( ; ; ) was a medieval and early modern Maritime republics, maritime republic from the years 1099 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italy, Italian coast. During the Late Middle Ages, it was a major commercial power in ...

. The city ultimately surrendered to commander

Antoniotto Botta Adorno Antoniotto Botta Adorno or Anton Otto Marchese Botta d'Adorno (1688 – 29 December 1774) was a high officer of the Habsburg monarchy and a plenipotentiary of the Austrian Netherlands. Biography He was born in Branduzzo, present-day Lombardy, to ...

, after being abandoned by its principal allies

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

and

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

. The manner in which Austria had negotiated a separate surrender that didn't include Britain or Sardinia angered their allies, and for a while the British fleet under George Townshend were instructed by Arthur Villettes to continue their blockade of the city in protest until ordered to cease it by the

Duke of Newcastle Duke of Newcastle upon Tyne was a title that was created three times, once in the Peerage of England and twice in the Peerage of Great Britain. The first grant of the title was made in 1665 to William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle, Willi ...

in London.

Aftermath

The Austrians mistreated many of the inhabitants of

Genoa Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...

, causing deep resentment. Following the departure of large numbers of the Austrians for an Allied invasion of France, the city rose on 7 December 1746, driving out the remainder of the garrison.Lodge p.202-03 An attempt to retake the city the following year failed.

References

Bibliography

* Lodge, Sir Richard. ''Studies in Eighteenth Century Diplomacy 1740-1748''. John Murray, 1930. Sieges of the War of the Austrian Succession Conflicts in 1746 Genoa 1746 1746 in the Republic of Genoa Sieges involving Great Britain Sieges involving Austria Sieges involving the Kingdom of Sardinia Sieges of Genoa {{Austria-battle-stub