Siege of Gaeta (1806)
| Siege of Gaeta | |||||||
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| Part of the War of the Third Coalition | |||||||
 Gaeta's historic quarter from Monte Orlando |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Kingdoms of Naples and Sicily
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 André Masséna Nicolas de Lacour Jacques Campredon
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Pr. Hesse-Philippsthal Colonel Hotz Fra Diavolo
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| Strength | |||||||
| 12,000 | 7,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1,000 | 7,000 | ||||||
The Siege of Gaeta (26 February - 18 July 1806) saw the fortress city of Gaeta and its Neapolitan garrison under Louis of Hesse-Philippsthal besieged by an Imperial French corps led by André Masséna. After a prolonged defense in which Hesse was badly wounded, Gaeta surrendered and its garrison was granted generous terms by Masséna.
The 1806 Invasion of Naples by Napoleon's forces was provoked when King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies joined the Third Coalition against Imperial France. The Kingdom of Naples was rapidly overrun by Imperial soldiers, but Hesse stubbornly held out at Gaeta. The garrison put up such fierce resistance that a large part of Masséna's Army of Naples was 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 expeditionary force and score a victory at the Battle of Maida. However, because the British failed to relieve the garrison of Gaeta, the city was finally captured in mid-July after French artillery smashed gaps in the city's defences.
By the late summer of 1805, the War of the Third Coalition was about to break out. Emperor Napoleon deployed 94,000 men to defend his possessions in Italy. Marshal André Masséna had 68,000 men in the main army, the satellite Kingdom of Italy added 8,000, and an observation corps of 18,000 kept an eye on the Kingdom of Naples. Against Napoleon's empire, the Austrian army in Italy under Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen ranged 90,000 men. Neapolitan army of King Ferdinand IV counted a mere 22,000 soldiers. Afraid that the French might invade his domain, the king concluded a treaty with Napoleon to remain neutral. In exchange, the French agreed to evacuate Apulia in southern Italy. The treaty was ratified in Naples on 3 October.
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