The
War of the Quadruple Alliance (1718–1720) was a result of the ambitions of King
Philip V of SpainPhilip V of Spain , fils de France and duc d'Anjou, was king of Spain from 1700 to 14 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son, Louis I of Spain, and from 31 August 1724 to 1746, assuming the throne again upon his son's death. Philip was the first Bourbon king of Spain...
, his wife, Isabella Farnese, and his chief minister Giulio Alberoni to retake territories in Italy and to claim the French throne. It saw the defeat of Spain by an alliance of
BritainThe Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a sovereign state in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1801...
,
FranceEarly Modern France is the early modern period of French history from the end of the 15th century to the end of the 18th century...
, Austria, and the
Dutch RepublicThe Republic of the Seven United Netherlands was a European republic between 1581 and 1795, in about the same location as the modern Kingdom of the Netherlands,...
. Savoy later joined the coalition as the fifth ally. Although fighting began as early as 1717, war was not formally declared until December 1718. It was brought to an end by the
Treaty of The HagueThe Treaty of The Hague was signed on February 17, 1720. The treaty ended the War of the Quadruple Alliance, a conflict that arose between King Philip V of Spain and an alliance of Great Britain, France, Austria and the Dutch Republic.Philip was confirmed king of Spain by the Treaty of Utrecht in...
.
Causes
After the
War of the Spanish SuccessionThe War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, principally the Holy Roman Empire, Great Britain, the Dutch Republic, Portugal, and the Duchy of Savoy, against the Kingdoms of France and Spain and the Electorate of Bavaria, over a possible unification of the Kingdoms of...
(1701-1714), Philippe of Anjou, grandson of
Louis XIV of FranceLouis XIV , popularly known as the Sun King , was King of France and of Navarre His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days, and is the longest documented reign of any European monarch.Louis began personally governing France after the death...
, was recognized as King
Philip V of SpainPhilip V of Spain , fils de France and duc d'Anjou, was king of Spain from 1700 to 14 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son, Louis I of Spain, and from 31 August 1724 to 1746, assuming the throne again upon his son's death. Philip was the first Bourbon king of Spain...
, but on the condition that the French and Spanish crowns would never be united.
In addition, in the
Treaty of UtrechtThe Treaty of Utrecht, which established the Peace of Utrecht in 1713, comprises a series of individual peace treaties, rather than a single document, signed in the Dutch city of Utrecht in March and April 1713. The treaties among several European states, including France, Spain, Great Britain,...
, Spain lost all its possessions in Italy and the Low Countries. The Spanish Netherlands,
Duchy of MilanThe Duchy of Milan was a state in northern Italy from 1395 to 1797. It was part of the Holy Roman Empire, by then a decentralised entity, and was ruled by several dynasties, most of them major powers from outside Italy...
,
NaplesThe Kingdom of Naples is the modern day name for a polity which existed on the southern part of the Italian peninsula. Also known contemporaneously, and somewhat confusingly, as the Kingdom of Sicily, this kingdom was founded after the secession of the island of Sicily from the old Kingdom of...
and
SardiniaSardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . The area of Sardinia is . The nearest land masses to the island are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Tunisia, and the Spanish Balearic Islands...
were given to
HabsburgThe House of Habsburg or Hapsburg was an important royal house of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1452 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian and Spanish Empire and several other countries...
-ruled Austria, while
SicilySicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is an autonomous region of Italy. Several much smaller islands surrounding it are considered to be part of Sicily....
was awarded to the
Duke of SavoyVictor Amadeus II, Italian Vittorio Amedeo II was Duke of Savoy from 1675 to 1730. He also held the titles of marquis of Saluzzo, marquis of Monferrato, prince of Piedmont, count of Aosta, Moriana and Nizza. His mother Marie Jeanne Baptiste de Savoie-Nemours was the regent from 1675 to 1684...
. These lands had been under Spanish Habsburg control for nearly two centuries, and their loss was perceived as a great blow to the country in both practical and prestige terms.
However, the first priority for Spain was the restoration of the country after 13 years of war, which had also been fought on Spanish territory. The main architect of this operation was Cardinal Alberoni. He had arranged in 1714 the marriage of the widowed Philip V with the 21 year-old Italian Isabella Farnese, and he became the personal adviser of the new Queen. In 1715 he became prime minister, stabilized the Spanish economy and reformed finances. He also initiated the rebuilding of the Spanish fleet (50 ships of the line built in 1718) and reformed the army.
Isabella Farnese, who had several dynastic claims to advance in Italy, stimulated the Italian ambitions of King Philip V of Spain and his sons, supported by Alberoni.
In France, Louis XIV had died in 1715, leaving only one infant great-grandchild, the future Louis XV, as his successor. Philip V, the only surviving grandchild of Louis XIV, and his sons were in fact excluded from succession to the crown of France by the Treaty of Utrecht.
Philip V nevertheless claimed the French throne, in the event of the death of the infant Louis. Opposition to Philip's ambitions led France (where Louis XIV's nephew, the Duc d'Orléans, served as regent), Great Britain, and the Dutch Republic, to join together in the
Triple AllianceThere have been numerous alliances known as the Triple Alliance.The War of the Triple Alliance refers to a major war in South America in the nineteenth century.The various alliances known as "the triple alliance" are:...
on 4 January 1717.
Britain, in particular, had become very concerned by Spanish ambitions in the Mediterranean Sea and Russian expansion in the
BalticThe Baltic Sea is a brackish inland sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and the...
and dispatched fleets to both as a preventative measure. The French navy was badly weakened from the recent war, and could not offer much support.
Outbreak of conflict
Later in the year, to strengthen the
Treaty of UtrechtThe Treaty of Utrecht, which established the Peace of Utrecht in 1713, comprises a series of individual peace treaties, rather than a single document, signed in the Dutch city of Utrecht in March and April 1713. The treaties among several European states, including France, Spain, Great Britain,...
, Britain, France and Austria contemplated ceding
SicilySicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is an autonomous region of Italy. Several much smaller islands surrounding it are considered to be part of Sicily....
to the Holy Roman Emperor
Charles VICharles VI was Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary , King of Bohemia and Archduke of Austria from 1711 to 1740...
. This arrangement displeased Spain, who wanted to recover the island.
Italy
In August 1717 Philip began hostilities against Austria by invading the island of
SardiniaSardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . The area of Sardinia is . The nearest land masses to the island are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Tunisia, and the Spanish Balearic Islands...
, taking advantage of the fact that Austria was tied up in the
Austro-Turkish War of 1716-18The Austro-Turkish War was fought between Austria and the Ottoman Empire.The Treaty of Karlowitz was not an acceptable long-standing agreement for the Ottoman Empire...
. A fleet of 100 transport ships, protected by 15 warships, carried 9,000 men under command of the
Marquis of LedeJean François de Bette, Marquis of Lede was a Belgian military commander in Spanish service from the Eighteenth century....
was assembled. It sailed from
BarcelonaBarcelona is the capital, most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain, with a population of 1,615,908 in 2008. It is the 11th-most populous municipality in the European Union and sixth-most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris,...
to Sardinia, which was subdued by November 1717.
The initial Austrian reaction to this invasion was limited, as the Austrian Supreme Commander
Prince Eugene of SavoyFrançois-Eugène, Prince of Savoy-Carignan , was one of the most prominent and successful military commanders in European history. Born in Paris to aristocratic Savoyard parents, Eugene grew up around the French court of King Louis XIV. He was initially prepared for a career in the church, but by...
wanted to avoid a major war in Italy as long as the conflict in the Balkans continued, soaking up Austrian troops and resources. Finally, on 21 July 1718, the
Treaty of PassarowitzThe Treaty of Passarowitz or Treaty of Požarevac was the peace treaty signed in Požarevac , a town in modern Serbia, on 21 July 1718 between the Ottoman Empire on one side and the Habsburg Monarchy of Austria and the Republic of Venice on the other.During the years 1714-1718,...
ended the war with the
Ottoman EmpireThe Ottoman Empire or Ottoman State , also known by its contemporaries as the Turkish Empire or Turkey , was an empire that lasted from 1299 to November 1, 1922 The Ottoman Empire or Ottoman State (Ottoman Turkish: دَوْلَتِ عَلِیَّهِ عُثْمَانِیَّه Dawlet-il ʿAliyyat-il ʿOs̠māniyye, Modern Turkish:...
and on 2 August, this led to the formation of the
Quadruple AllianceThe term "Quadruple Alliance" refers to several historical military alliances; none of which remain in effect.# The Quadruple Alliance of August 1673 was an alliance between the Holy Roman Empire, the Kingdom of Spain, Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine, and the United Provinces of the Netherlands, in...
, with the Emperor now joining the Triple Alliance.
Sicily
Meanwhile, in July 1718 the Spanish, this time with 30,000 men again led by the Marquis of Lede, had also invaded Sicily, which had been awarded to the
Duke of SavoyVictor Amadeus II, Italian Vittorio Amedeo II was Duke of Savoy from 1675 to 1730. He also held the titles of marquis of Saluzzo, marquis of Monferrato, prince of Piedmont, count of Aosta, Moriana and Nizza. His mother Marie Jeanne Baptiste de Savoie-Nemours was the regent from 1675 to 1684...
. They took Palermo on July 7 and then divided their army in two. De Lede followed the coast to besiege Messina between July 18 and September 30, while Montemar conquered the rest of the island.
The French, Austrians, and British now demanded Spanish withdrawal from Sicily and Sardinia. The attitude of Victor Amadeus II of Savoy was ambiguous, as he accepted to negotiate with Alberoni to form an anti-Austrian alliance.
Cape Passaro
On 11 August, at the
Battle of Cape PassaroThe Battle of Cape Passaro was the defeat of a Spanish fleet under Admirals Antonio de Gaztañeta and Fernando Chacon by a British fleet under Admiral Byng, near Cape Passero on 11 August 1718, four months before the War of the Quadruple Alliance was formally declared.-Background:Tensions between...
, a British fleet, led by
Sir George ByngGeorge Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington, KB PC was a British Admiral and statesman of the late 17th and early 18th centuries. His career included service as First Lord of the Admiralty during the reign of King George II....
, captured much of a decrepit Spanish fleet.
Milazzo
In the autumn this British fleet landed a small Austrian army, assembled in Naples by the Austrian Viceroy
Count Wirich Philipp von DaunCount Wirich Philipp von Daun was an Austrian Field Marshal in the War of Spanish Succession, and father of the better known Leopold Josef Graf Daun....
near Messina, to lift the siege by the Spanish forces. This effort was not successful when the Austrians were defeated in the
First Battle of MilazzoThe Battle of Milazzo was fought on October 15 1718 near the city of Milazzo in Sicily, Italy between Spain and Austria as part of the War of the Quadruple Alliance.- Context :...
on October 15, and only held a small bridgehead around
MilazzoMilazzo is a town of on the north coast of Sicily, Italy. It lies 50 km from Messina, just north of the road to Palermo. It is located on a peninsula called Capo di Milazzo.-History:...
.
Formal declaration of war
On 17 December 1718, the French, British, and Austrians officially declared war on Spain. The Dutch would join them later, in August 1719.
1719
After the discovery of the
Cellamare ConspiracyThe Cellamare Conspiracy of 1718 was a conspiracy against the then Regent of France, Philippe d'Orléans...
, the
Duc d'OrléansPhilippe Charles d'Orléans, petit-fils de France, Duke of Orléans , was a member of the royal family of France and served as Regent of the Kingdom from 1715 to 1723. Born at his father's palace at Saint-Cloud, he was known from birth under the title of Duke of Chartres...
ordered a French army under the
Duke of BerwickJames FitzJames, 1st Duke of Berwick was a French military leader, illegitimate son of King James II of England by Arabella Churchill, sister of the 1st Duke of Marlborough. In 1695 he married Honora Burke, the daughter of William Bourke, 7th Earl of Clanricarde and the widow of the 1st Earl of...
to invade the Basque provinces of Spain in April 1719. This army met very little resistance, but was forced back by heavy losses due to disease. A second attack in
CataloniaCatalonia is an Autonomous Community in northeast Spain. The capital city is Barcelona.Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an official population of 7,364,078. It borders France and Andorra to the north, Aragon to the west, the Valencian Community to the south, and the...
suffered the same fate. In the Americas, the French were more successful and took
PensacolaPensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2007, the estimated population was 54,283....
in Florida.
In Sicily, the Austrians started a new offensive under Count Claude Florimond de Mercy. They first suffered a defeat in the
Battle of FrancavillaThe Battle of Francavilla was fought on June 20 1719 near the city of Francavilla di Sicilia in Sicily, Italy between Spain and Austria as part of the War of the Quadruple Alliance.- Prelude :...
(June 20, 1719). But the Spanish were cut off from their homeland by the British fleet and it was just a matter of time before their resistance would crumble. Mercy was then victorious in the second
Battle of MilazzoBattle of Milazzo may refer to the following battles fought near the city of Milazzo in Sicily, southern Italy:* Battle of Mylae , the first Roman naval victory against Carthage...
, took Messina in October and besieged Palermo.
Scotland
It was also in 1719 that the Irish exile, the
Duke of OrmondeJames Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde KG, KT , was an Irish statesman and soldier, son of Thomas Butler, Earl of Ossory and his wife Emilia von Nassau, Countess of Ossory, and grandson of James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde, was born in Dublin and was educated in France and afterwards at Christ Church,...
, organized an expedition with extensive Spanish support to invade Britain and replace King George I with
James StuartPrince James, Prince of Wales was the son of the deposed James II and VII...
, the
JacobiteJacobitism was the political movement dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
"Old Pretender." However, his fleet was disbanded by a storm near Galicia in 1719, and never reached Britain.
A small force of 300 Spanish marines under George Keith, tenth
Earl MarischalThe title of Earl Marischal was created in the peerage of Scotland for William Keith, the Great Marischal of Scotland.The office of "Marischal of Scotland" had been held heritably by the senior member of the Keith family since Hervey de Keith, who held the office of Marischal under Malcolm IV and...
did land near
Eilean DonanEilean Donan , is a small island in Loch Duich in the western Highlands of Scotland. It is connected to the mainland by a footbridge and lies about half a mile from the village of Dornie. Eilean Donan is named after Donnán of Eigg, a Celtic saint martyred in the Dark Ages...
, but they and the highlanders who supported them were defeated in the
Battle of Glen ShielThe Battle of Glen Shiel was a battle in Glen Shiel, in the West Highlands of Scotland on 10 June 1719, between British government troops and an alliance of Jacobites and Spaniards, resulting in a victory for the government forces. It was the last close engagement of British and foreign troops on...
in June 1719, and the hopes of an uprising soon fizzled out.
Vigo
In retaliation for this attack, a British fleet captured
VigoVigo is the largest city in Galicia, Spain, located in the province of Pontevedra.It has a population of 295,703, with an extended metropolitan population of 468,654, making it the 14th-largest metropolitan area of Spain. Vigo is the largest city in Spain which is not a provincial...
and marched inland to
PontevedraPontevedra is a city in the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula. It is the capital of both the comarca and province of Pontevedra, in Galicia . It is also the capital of its own municipality which is, in fact, often considered as an extension of the actual city...
in October 1719. This caused some shock to the Spanish authorities as they realized how vulnerable they were to Allied amphibious descents, with the potential to open up a new front away from the French frontier.
Peace
Displeased with his kingdom's military performance, Philip dismissed Alberoni in December 1719, and made peace with the allies at the Treaty of The Hague on 17 February 1720.
In the treaty, Philip and Isabella were forced to relinquish all territory captured in the war. However, their eldest son's right to the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza after the death of Isabella's childless half-cousin,
Antonio FarneseAntonio Farnese was the last Farnese Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1727 until his death.Born in Parma, he was the third son of Ranuccio II Farnese and Maria d'Este, and succeeded his brother Francesco Farnese on February 27 1727.The year after, in 1728, he married Henrietta Maria of...
, was recognized.
France returned Pensacola and the remaining conquests in the north of Spain in exchange for commercial benefits. Included in the terms of this treaty, the Duke of Savoy was forced to exchange his throne in Sicily for that of the less important Kingdom of Sardinia - which would have an important bearing on the course in which the unification of Italy would later take, in the nineteenth century.
Legacy
The war provided a unique example during the eighteenth century when Britain and France were on the same side. It came during a period between 1714 and 1731 when
the two countries were alliesThis article covers the Anglo-French Alliance between 1716 and 1731. For the alliance that has existed since 1904 see Entente CordialeThe Anglo French Alliance is the term given to the alliance between Great Britain and France between 1716 and 1731...
. Spain would later join with France in the Bourbon Compact, and the two would become continual enemies of the British.
The war also demonstrated the growing seapower of Britain, and the successful deployment of the
Royal NavyThe Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces . From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early...
in the
Mediterranean SeaThe Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by Africa, and on the east by the Levant. The sea is technically a part of the Atlantic Ocean, although it...
.
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