In February 1733, following the death of King Augustus II of Poland, European powers exerted diplomatic and military influence, in the selection of his successor.

On October 10, France declared war on Austria and Saxony to draw military strength away from Poland, and shortly thereafter invaded both the Rhineland and the Habsburg territories in what is now northern Italy.

The Italian campaign was conducted, in conjunction with King Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia, to whom France had promised the Duchy of Milan in the Treaty of Turin, signed in September 1733.

In September, Field Marshal Dominik von Königsegg-Rothenfels, who replaced Florimund Mercy (killed at San Pietro), renewed the Austrian offensive, winning a small victory near Quistello when his troops successfully raided de Broglio's headquarters on 14 September, taking 1,500 prisoners and capturing Charles Emmanuel's silver service, and campaign war chest.

To the west of Guastalla was a plain dotted with copses of trees, extending to the Po, where the allies had a boat-bridge to facilitate the movement of troops across the river.

On the morning of 19 September Charles Emmanuel sent three regiments across the Po to guard against possible Austrian flanking maneuvers that could bypass his army and gain access to Milanese territory.

When the leading edges of his army reached the allied positions, reconnaissance indicated that there were as few as 5,000 infantry in the field, and that the enemy's cavalry appeared to be in retreat.

Convinced that he was facing the rear guard of the allied army, Königsegg ordered a single line of troops forward at about 10 am to flush out the defenders.

Around noon Charles Emmanuel directed troops from the allied right to come around to assist in the defense of the left flank, where a large portion of the Austrian army was engaged in between the two dams.