The Battle of Montebello was fought on May 20, 1859 at Montebello (in what is now Lombardy, northern Italy). It was a minor engagement of the Second Italian War of Independence, fought between Piedmontese cavalry and French infantry against Austrian troops. The Austrian defeat, despite the greater number, was another sign that Austrian troops were inferior to their enemies. Because of this battle, the Austrian commander in chief was obliged to keep some troops to cover the southern part of the front.