Which battles helped the Franco-Piedmontese alliance defeat Austria in 1859?

The Franco-Piedmontese alliance achieved significant victories against Austria during the second War of Italian Independence in 1859 through the following engagements:

• Battle of Magenta (June 4, 1859): In this narrow French victory, forces under Napoleon III successfully engaged the Austrian army, leading to the retreat of Austrian troops and allowing the allies to make a triumphal entry into Milan.123
• Battle of Solferino (June 24, 1859): This was the final major engagement of the war. Following costly and confused fighting, the French broke the Austrian center, forcing the Austrian army to retreat.41
• Battle of San Martino (June 1859): Fought in conjunction with the broader campaign, this engagement saw fierce fighting as the allies pushed against Austrian defensive positions.12

These battles, while bloody and costly, forced the Austrian army into retreat and contributed to the eventual annexation of Lombardy by Sardinia-Piedmont. However, the heavy casualties sustained at these sites influenced Napoleon III to seek an armistice at Villafranca shortly thereafter.41