Count Ferenc Gyulay de Marosnémethi et Nádaska (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈfɛrɛnts ˈɟulɒji], 1 September 1799 – 1 September 1868[1]), also known as Ferencz Gyulai, Ferencz Gyulaj, or Franz Gyulai, was a Hungarian nobleman who served as Austrian Governor of Lombardy-Venetia and commanded the losing Austrian army at the Battle of Magenta.

[2] The Battle of Custoza eased the pressure on the Adriatic coast and Gyulay's precautionary measures secured the area.

[2] In 1849 Gyulay had been promoted to the rank of lieutenant general (Feldmarschallleutnant) and that summer was named Austrian Minister of Defense by Emperor Franz Joseph[3] and thus he was involved in Hungarian Revolution of 1848 on the Habsburg side.

[2] He was at the siege of Raab on 28 June followed by the Battle of Komárom, which he left in the early stages[2] due at least in part to the tendency of the emperor and his adjutant general Grünne to bypass his ministry when making military decisions.

[2] In 1857, following the resignation of Joseph Radetzky[citation needed], Gyulay was named Governor of Lombardy-Venetia, residing at Milan.

In early 1859, the Kingdom of Sardinia/Piedmont, having allied with France, began mobilizing its army, possibly in preparation for an invasion of Italian territories controlled by Austria.

Emperor Franz Josef took personal command of the Austrian army in Lombardy-Venetia, and would go on to lose the subsequent Battle of Solferino.