Siege of Gaeta (1806)

For other sieges of this city at different dates, see Siege of Gaeta.

Siege of Gaeta
Part of the War of the Third Coalition
Gaeta's historic quarter from Monte Orlando
Date February 26 - July 18, 1806 Location Gaeta (present-day Italy) Result French victory
Belligerents
France Italy Etruria Polish Legions Switzerland	Kingdoms of Naples and Sicily
Commanders and leaders
André Masséna	Louis of Hesse-Philippsthal
Strength
12,000	7,000
Casualties and losses
1,000 killed or wounded	1,000 killed or wounded 6,000 captured

The Siege of Gaeta of 1806 was a siege of the fortress city of Gaeta by French forces under André Masséna, which began in late February during the War of the Third Coalition.

The siege traced its origin in the French invasion of southern Italy and in the flight of the current King of Naples, Ferdinand I, after which the regent, ereditary prince Francis I, agreed with the French to cease them the fortress of Gaeta, together with those of Naples and Pescara. However, the local commander, Louis of Hesse-Philippsthal, refused to obey the order. The garrison put up fierce resistance and Masséna had the greater part of his Army of Naples tied up in the siege for nearly five months. This prevented Masséna from sending reinforcements to quell an uprising that had started in Calabria as well as allowing the British to land an expedition force and score a victory at the Battle of Maida. However, the British failed to either capitalise on this victory or send support to the garrison of Gaeta and the city was finally captured on July 18, 1806 after French artillery finally broke through the city's defences.

Gaeta was then turned into a duché grand-fief in the Napoleonic Kingdom of Naples with the French name of Gaete, for finance minister Martin-Michel-Charles Gaudin in 1809. Gaeta was the last city in Italy to remain loyal to Napoleon – it was not until a further siege by an Anglo-Austrian force, the last action of the Neapolitan War, that the city was finally retaken.