The War of the Quadruple Alliance (1718–1720; , , , ) was caused by Spanish attempts to recover territories in Italy ceded in the 1713 Peace of Utrecht. Largely focused on Sicily, it included minor engagements in North America and Northern Europe as well as the Spanish-backed Jacobite rising of 1719 in Scotland. In August–October 1717, Spain recaptured Sardinia from Habsburg Austria with little opposition, which it then followed by a landing in Sicily in July 1718. On 2 August 1718, a Quadruple Alliance was formed by Britain, France, Austria, and the Dutch Republic. The war ended with the 1720 Treaty of The Hague, which restored the position prior to 1717, but with Savoy and Austria exchanging Sardinia and Sicily. Background Following the War of the Spanish Succession, Spain recovered remarkably quickly thanks to reforms initiated by chief minister Giulio Alberoni, supported by his fellow Italian Elisabeth Farnese, who became Philip V's second wife in 1714. In the 1713 Peace of Utrecht, Spain had ceded its possessions in Italy and Flanders to Habsburg Austria, and the Kingdom of Sicily to Savoy; recovering them was a priority for the new administration of Philip V of Spain. The 1701 to 1714 war was fought to ensure neither France or the Habsburg monarchy could ever be united with Spain but Philip now cast doubts on his renunciation of the French throne agreed at Utrecht. Charles VI of Austria also refused to formally accept this principle, and also delayed implementation of the Dutch Barrier in the newly acquired Austrian Netherlands, an objective for which the Dutch Republic had effectively bankrupted themselves. In late 1716, former opponents Britain and France agreed an Anglo-French alliance to ensure enforcement of Utrecht; in January 1717, these two and the Dutch formed the Triple Alliance. The alliance's key principles were that Charles and Philip should confirm that they renounced their respective claims to the thrones of Spain and France, while Savoy and Austria should exchange Sicily and Sardinia. Spain saw little benefit in this and decided to seize the opportunity to recover territorial losses agreed at Utrecht. As neither Savoy nor Austria possessed significant navies, the most obvious targets were the islands of Sardinia and Sicily, an ambition that aligned with the Italian dynastic claims of Elizabeth Farnese. In August 1717, Spanish forces landed on Sardinia and by November had re-established control of the island. They met little opposition;