War of The Quadruple Alliance - Causes

Causes

After the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714), Philip, Duke of Anjou, grandson of Louis XIV of France, was recognized as King Philip V of Spain, but on the condition that the French and Spanish crowns would never be united.

In addition, in the Treaty of Utrecht, Spain lost all its possessions in Italy and the Low Countries. The Spanish Netherlands, Duchy of Milan, Naples and Sardinia were given to Habsburg-ruled Austria, while Sicily was awarded to the Duke of Savoy. 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 in part been fought on Spanish territory. The main architect of this operation was Cardinal Alberoni. In 1714 he had arranged the marriage of the widowed Philip V to the 21 year-old Italian Elisabeth Farnese, and 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.

The Queen, who had several dynastic claims to advance in Italy, stimulated the Italian ambitions of her husband and their sons, supported by Alberoni.

In France, Louis XIV had died in 1715, leaving only one infant great-grandchild, 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 Duke of Orléans, served as regent), Great Britain, and the Dutch Republic, to join together in the Triple Alliance on 4 January 1717.

Britain, in particular, had become very concerned by Spanish ambitions in the Mediterranean Sea and Russian expansion in the Baltic 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.