Quadruple Alliance of 17182.1060 Quadruple Alliance of 1718
Alliance Members:Holy Roman Emperor, France, Great Britain, the
Netherlands, and Sardinia
Signed On:July 22, 1718, in the city of London
Alliance Type:Defense Pact (Type I)
Source:Consolidated Treaty Series,vol. 30, p. 415.
SUMMARY
When the Triple Alliance among Britain, France, and the Netherlands
attempted to cede Sicily to the Holy Roman Empire to check Spanish
expansion, King Phillip V of Spain was furious. Phillip V wanted to
repatriate Sicily and all his other former Italian possessions back to
Spain. To express his displeasure, Phillip V ordered an invasion of Sar-
dinia, which had been given to Austria by the Treaty of Utrecht. Span-
ish troops then invaded Sicily.
The aggression prompted the Holy Roman Empire to form a new pact
with the members of the Triple Alliance, resulting in the Quadruple
Alliance of 1718. All members demanded Spanish retreat from Sar-
dinia and Sicily, resulting in war by December 1718.
The War of the Quadruple Alliance, as it is now known, lasted two
years and resulted in a rout of the Spanish. Hostilities ceased with the
Treaty of The Hague in February 1720. In this settlement, Phillip V
abandoned all claims on Italy. Later, however, Spain invaded Sicily
again during the War of Polish Succession.
Alliance Text
In the name of the Moft Holy and Undivided Trinity.
BE it known to all whom it doth concern, or may any way
concern.
Whereas the moft ferene and moft potent prince, George, of
Great Britain, France, and Ireland, king, duke of Brunfwick
and Lunenburgh, elector of the holy Roman Empire, &c. and
the moft ferene and moft potent prince Lewis XV. the moft
Chriftian King, &c. as likewife the High and Mighty States
General of the United Provinces of the Netherlands; being
continually intent on preferving the bleffing of peace, have
duly confidered, that however by the triple alliance concluded
by them on the 4th day of January, 1717, their own kingdoms
and provinces were provided for, yet that the provifion was
neither fo general nor fo folid, as that the publick tranquillity
could long flourifh and laft, unlefs at the fame time the jeal-
oufies which were ftill increafing between fome of the princes
of Europe as perpetual occafions of variance could be removed
: and being convinced by experience from the war kindled the
laft year in Italy, for the timely extinguifhing whereof by a
treaty made the 18th day of July, N. S. in the year 1718, they
agreed among themfelves upon certain articles of pacification,
according to which a peace might be brought about and
eftablifhed between his facred Imperial Majefty and the king of
Spain ; as likewife between his faid Imperial Majefty and the
king of Sicily, and farther gave a friendly invitation to his
Imperial Majefty, that out of his love for the publick peace and
quiet, he would receive and approve the faid articles of conven-
tion in his own name, and accordingly that he himfelf would
accede to the treaty made by them, the tenor of which is as fol-
loweth.Conditions of peace between his Imperial Majefty and his
royal Catholick Majefty.
Art.I. For quieting the difturbances lately raifed contrary to
the peace of Baden, concluded the 7th day of September, 1714,
as likewife to the neutrality eftablifhed for Italy by the treaty of
the 14th day of March, 1713, the moft ferene and moft potent
king of Spain obliges himfelf to reftore to his Imperial Majefty,
and accordingly fhall immediately, or at the fartheft after two
months to be reckoned from the exchange of the ratifications of
this prefent treaty, actually reftore to his faid Imperial Majefty
the ifland and kingdom of Sardinia in the condition wherein he
feized it, and fhall renounce in favour of his Imperial Majefty all
rights, pretenfions, interefts, and claims upon the faid kingdom
; fo that his Imperial Majefty fully and freely, and in the manner
which he judges beft, out of his love to the publick good, may
difpofe of it as of his own property.
II. Whereas the only method which could be found out for
fixing a durable balance in Europe was judged to be this, that it
fhould be an eftablifhed rule that the kingdoms of France and
Spain fhould never go together, or be united in one and the
fame perfon, or in one and the fame line, and that thofe two
monarchies fhould henceforward for ever remain feparate; and
whereas for confirming this rule fo neceffary for the public
tranquility, thofe princes, to whom the prerogative of birth
might have given a right of fucceeding in both kingdoms, have
folemnly renounced one of thofe two kingdoms for themfelves
and all their pofterity ; fo that this feparation of the two monar-
chies has paffed into a fundamental law in the general affembly
commonly called Las Kortes, which was received at Madrid the
9th day of November 1712, and confolidated by the treaties of
Utrecht, the 11th day of April 1713, his Imperial Majefty being
willing to give the utmoft perfection to fo neceffary and whol-
fome a law, to take away all ground of fufpicion. and to promote
the publick tranquillity, doth accept and agree to thofe things
which were done, ratified, and eftablifhed in the treaty of
Utrecht, with regard to the right and order of fucceffion to the
kingdoms of France and Spain, and doth renounce as well for
himfelf, as for his heirs, defcendents, and fucceffors, male and
female, all rights, and all and every pretenfion whatfoever, not
one in the leaft excepted, on any kingdoms whatfoever, domin-
ions, and provinces of the Spanifh monarchy, whereof the
Catholick King was acknowledged to be the rightful poffeffor by
the treaty of Utrecht, and will caufe to be made out in due form
accordingly folemn acts of renunciation, which he will caufe to
be publifhed and regiftered in the proper courts, and promifes
that he will exhibit the ufual inftruments thereupon to his
Catholick Majefty and to the contracting powers.
III. By virtue of the faid renunciation, which his Imperial
Majefty has made out of regard to the fecurity of all Europe ;
and in confideration likewife that the duke of Orleans has for
himfelf and for his defcendents renounced all his rights and