Ten Days of Brescia

{{Short description|1849 battle of the First Italian War of Independence}}

{{Infobox Military Conflict

|conflict = Siege of Brescia
Ten Days of Brescia

|image = BresciaDG.jpg

|image_size = 290px

|caption = Episode from the Ten Days of Brescia in 1849

|partof = the First Italian War of Independence

|date = 23 March – 1 April 1849{{cite book|title=Breve storia del Risorgimento italiano narrata alla gioventù |first=Siro |last=Corti |date=1885 |place=Turin}}

|place = Brescia, Lombardy

|result = Capitulation of Brescia{{cite book|title=Chambers's encyclopaedia: Vol. 2 |last=W. & R. Chambers|date=1868 |place=London}}

|combatant1 = 25px Brescia{{cite book|title=Wochenblatt für den Königlich-Bayerischen Gerichtsbezirk Zweibrücken No. 41.|first=Freitag, 6. April |last=Wochenblatt |date=1849 |place=Zweibrücken}}

|combatant2 = 25px Austrian Empire

|commander1 = Tito Speri
Giuseppe Martinengo
Pietro Boifava
{{cite book|title=Bradshaw's illustrated hand-book to Italy |url=https://archive.org/details/bradshawsillust13bradgoog |first= George|last=Bradshaw|date=1898 |place=London}}{{cite book|title=Handbook for travellers in northern Italy. Part I. and Part II. |first=John |last=Murray |date=1858 |place=London}}{{cite book|title=Goffredo Mameli: tra un inno e una battaglia |first=Mauro |last=Stramacci |date=1991 |place=Rome}}

|commander2 = Julius von Haynau
Field marshal
Johann Graf Nugent{{KIA}}
Major general
{{cite book|title=Kriegsbegebenheiten bei der Kaiserlich österreichischen Armee in Italien vom 20. März bis 1. April 1849 |last=Aus der Kaiserlich Königlichen Hof- und Staatsdruckerei |date=1850 |place=Vienna}}{{cite book|title=Der italienische Krieg von 1848 und 1849|url=https://archive.org/details/deritalienische00rsgoog|first=Wilhelm |last=Rüstow |date=1862 |place=Zürich}}

|strength1 =Numerous barricades{{cite book|title=Staats- und Gesellschafts-Lexikon|url=https://archive.org/details/staatsundgesell16wagegoog|first=Friedrich Wilhelm Hermann |last=Wagener |date=1862 |place=Berlin}}
armed insurgents:{{cite book|title=Radetzky: Imperial Victor and Military Genius|first=Alan |last=Sked |date=2011 |place=New York}}
2,000–3,000

|strength2 =Austrian garrison:{{cite book|title=Geschichte des K.K. Linien-Infanterie-Regimentes No. 8, Erzherzog Ludwig|first=Carl Adam |last=Schweigerd |date=1857 |place=Vienna}}
4 companies & 30 guns
Nugent Brigade:
2,300 infantry & cavalry
4 guns
30-pound Mörser-Batterie

|casualties1 ={{circa}} 1,000 killed {{cite book|title=The siege of Venice |url=https://archive.org/details/siegeofvenice0000keat |url-access=registration |first=Jonathan |last=Keates |date=2005 |isbn=9780701166373 |place=New York}}{{cite book|title=The United service magazine, Part 1 |first=Henry |last=Colburn |date=1860 |place=London}}
including civilians {{cite book|title=The Eclectic review |last=July–December, Vol. II |date=1859 |place=London}}
16 executed

|casualties2 =31 March and 1 April:
53 KIA
including 3 officers
209 wounded
including 13 officers
54 MIA

}}

{{Campaignbox First Italian War of Independence}}

The Ten Days of Brescia ({{langx|it|Dieci giornate di Brescia}}) was a revolt which broke out in the northern Italian city of that name, which lasted from 23 March to 1 April 1849.

In the early 19th century Brescia was subject of the Austrian empire, as the rest of Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia. The revolt, headed by the patriot Tito Speri, began on the same day as the Battle of Novara ended (though news of Austria's victory there had not yet reached Brescia).

The Austrian troops, under General Nugent, were initially surprised and retired to the castle, from which they heavily cannonaded the city, damaging many of Brescia's historical monuments. A total encirclement of Brescia was established by the Austrians beginning on the 8th day of the revolt, when reinforcements arrived. The following day General Haynau, later nicknamed "The Hyena of Brescia", came and demanded the unconditioned surrender of the Bresciani. As the latter refused, the fighting continued until late night, when the heads of the revolt decided to surrender. The following day (April 1), however, the Austrian troops sacked the city and massacred numerous inhabitants before the surrender could be signed.

Some 1,000 citizens were killed during the battle. For its fierce resistance, the city of Brescia earned the surname Leonessa d'Italia (Lioness of Italy).