Giulio Alberoni (Fiorenzuola d’Arda, 1664- Plasencia, 1752), an Italian cardinal and the main advisor of King Philip V of Spain.
Philip V (France, 1683-Madrid, 1746), King of Spain from 1700 until his death.
Elisabeth Farnese (Parma, 1692-Aranjuez, 1766). Her marriage to the Spanish king triggered the War of the Quadruple Alliance.
MAP OF EUROPE IN THE 18TH CENTURY
The War of the Quadruple Alliance (1717-1720), also known as the War of Alberoni, confronted the Spanish Monarchy of Philip V with a coalition formed by France, the United Kingdom, the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation and the United Provinces of the Netherlands. It was sparked by the dynastic and territorial aspirations of the Spanish king with regard to Italy following his marriage to Elisabeth Farnese.
The war began well for Spain as it took Sardinia and Sicily. But as England joined the war with its powerful fleet, the war took a turn after the naval battle of Cape Passaro (1718). In this battle the Spanish fleet was severely defeated by Admiral Sir George Byng, thus thwarting Alberoni’s plans to retake the Italian territories lost after the Spanish War of Succession (1701-1714) which brought the Bourbon dynasty to the Spanish throne.
