Triple Alliance (1717) Facts for Kids

The Triple Alliance was an important agreement signed on January 4, 1717. It was a defence pact (a promise to help each other if attacked) between three powerful European countries: the Dutch Republic (now the Netherlands), France, and Great Britain. They signed it in The Hague, a city in the Netherlands.

The main reason for this alliance was to stop Spain from becoming too powerful. Spain was trying to get back lands it had lost after a big war. The alliance also wanted to make sure the agreements from the Peace of Utrecht (signed between 1713 and 1715) were kept. This peace treaty had ended a major war in Europe. The next year, this alliance grew even bigger when the Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI joined. It then became known as the Quadruple Alliance.

Why the Alliance Was Needed
How the Alliance Formed
What the Agreement Said
What Happened Next
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Why the Alliance Was Needed

The War of the Spanish Succession had just finished. This war decided who would be the next king of Spain. In the end, Philip V became king, but he had to agree to some strict rules. He promised that he and his family would never try to rule France. Also, the French king, Louis XIV, and his family promised they would never try to rule Spain.

Philip V also had to give up some important lands, like Sicily, to other countries. He really didn't like these rules. He wanted to get these lands back for Spain and make his country stronger. He tried to do this without starting another big war. He even supported a secret plan, called the Cellamare conspiracy, to take control of France's government while its king, Louis XV, was still a child.

After King Louis XIV of France and Queen Anne of Great Britain passed away, the relationship between France and Great Britain got better. The new British king, George I, and the new French regent (the person ruling for the young king), Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, were cousins. Both of them faced problems in their own countries. The French regent was worried that his enemies might team up with Spain to remove him from power. King George I wanted France to stop supporting people who wanted to put a different king on the British throne.

How the Alliance Formed

Many important people thought that France and Great Britain should work together. They believed that an alliance would help both countries, even though they had been rivals for a long time. Guillaume Dubois, who was a secretary for the French regent, and James Stanhope, 1st Earl Stanhope, a British government official, were key people who helped make this alliance happen.

First, France and Great Britain made their own alliance on October 9 or 10, 1716. It took a few months for both countries to officially agree to it. Then, on January 4, 1717, the Dutch Republic joined them in The Hague. This made the two-country alliance into a three-country alliance, which was the Triple Alliance.

What the Agreement Said

The agreement was signed by important representatives from France, Great Britain, and the Dutch Republic in The Hague. Here are the main things they agreed to:

They all agreed to stick to the rules and agreements made in the Peace of Utrecht treaties from 1713.
France promised to make James Stuart, who wanted to be the king of England, leave his home in Avignon.
The Dutch Republic agreed to make sure that anyone who supported James Stuart (and was considered a rebel against England) would leave their country.
France had to destroy the Mardyke Canal. This canal was built after the port of Dunkirk was dismantled, as agreed in the Treaty of Utrecht.
If one of the countries in the alliance was attacked by another country, or if they had problems with rebellions inside their own country, the other two would send military help. France and England would each send 8,000 foot soldiers and 2,000 horse soldiers. The Dutch Republic would send 4,000 foot soldiers and 1,000 horse soldiers. If the attacked country preferred, these soldiers could be replaced with ships and naval forces. This promise only applied to their lands in Europe.

What Happened Next

In 1718, the Holy Roman Empire also joined the alliance by signing the Treaty of London. This made the Triple Alliance into the Quadruple Alliance.

The worries that the French regent had about Spain turned out to be true. Spain tried to take over Sardinia in 1717, and the secret Cellamare conspiracy also showed Spain's intentions. The alliance with Great Britain and the Dutch Republic helped them deal with these problems. The success of the War of Quadruple Alliance showed that forming this alliance was a good decision.