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 1716 and 1731 when the two countries were allies. SpainThe Spanish Empire was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its predecessor states between 1492 and 1976. One of the largest empires in history, it was the first to usher the European Age of Discovery and achieve a global scale, controlling vast territory. It was one of the most powerful empires of the early modern period, reaching its maximum extent in the 18th century.Spain would later join with FranceThe Kingdom of France is the historiographical name or umbrella term given to various political entities of France in the medieval and early modern period. It was one of the most powerful states in Europe since the High Middle Ages. It was also an early colonial power, with possessions around the world. Colonial conflicts with Great Britain led to the loss of much of its North American holdings by 1763. The Kingdom of France adopted a written constitution in 1791, but the Kingdom was abolished a year later and replaced with the First French Republic.France in the Bourbon Compact, and the two would become enemies of the British once more.

• Outline War of the Quadruple Alliance (1718–1720)
  

  HISTORIC BATTLES

  War of the Quadruple Alliance (1718–1720)

  The War of the Quadruple Alliance (1718–1720) was a result of the ambitions of King Philip V of Spain, his wife, Elisabeth 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 Britain, France, Austria (then a state of the Holy Roman Empire), and the Dutch Republic. View Historic Battle »

  Causes: Duke of Anjou, was recognized as King Philip V of Spain, but on the condition that he be removed from the French line of succession, thereby ensuring that the French and Spanish crowns would never be united.

  Outbreak of conflict: The initial Austrian reaction to this invasion was limited, as the Austrian Supreme Commander, Prince Eugene of Savoy, wanted to avoid a major war in Italy as long as the conflict in the Balkans continued, soaking up Austrian troops and resources.

  Wider war (1718): 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 agreed to negotiate with Cardinal Alberoni to form an anti-Austrian alliance.

  Battles (1719): The Duke of Berwick's army met very little resistance, but was forced back by heavy losses due to disease. A second attack in Catalonia suffered the same fate.

  Peace (1720): Displeased with his kingdom's military performance, Philip dismissed Alberoni in December 1719, and made peace with the allies with the Treaty of The Hague on 17 February 1720.

  Legacy: The war provided a unique example during the eighteenth century when Britain and France were on the same side.

RESOURCES
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "War of the Quadruple Alliance", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.