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Triple Alliance with Austria and Italy (May 20, 1882)

The Dual Alliance of 1879 between Germany and Austria-Hungary was expanded in 1882 with the entry of Italy. The Alliance was initially set to last five years but was renewed every five years until 1914. Bismarck always entertained mixed feelings about this three-way alliance, in part because of Italy’s vulnerability to attack from the sea but also because of Italy’s liberal parliamentary system. Another ally against France was welcome, however. As it happened, Italy did not join the First World War on the side of Germany and Austria-Hungary in 1914. After months of delay and negotiations with the Entente Powers, Italy declared war against its former alliance partners in 1915.

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Triple Alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy from May 20, 1882


Their Majesties the Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, etc., and Apostolic King of Hungary, the Emperor of Germany,* King of Prussia, and the King of Italy, animated by the desire to increase the guaranties of the general peace, to fortify the monarchical principle and thereby to assure the unimpaired maintenance of the social and political order in Their respective states, have agreed to conclude a treaty which, by its essentially conservative and defensive nature, pursues only the aim of forestalling the dangers which might threaten the security of Their states and the peace of Europe.

To this end Their Majesties have appointed [ . . . ] **, who, furnished with full powers, which have been found in good and due form, have agreed upon the following Articles:

Article I. The high contracting parties mutually promise peace and friendship, and will enter into no alliance or engagement directed against any one of their states.

They engage to proceed to an exchange of ideas on political and economic questions of a general nature which may arise, and they further promise one another mutual support within the limits of their own interests.

Article II. In case Italy, without direct provocation on her part, should be attacked by France for any reason whatsoever, the two other contracting parties shall be bound to lend help and assistance with all their forces to the party attacked.

This same obligation shall devolve upon Italy in case of any aggression without direct provocation by France against Germany.



* Incorrect formulation of the imperial title. [All footnotes adapted from Ernst Rudolf Huber, ed., Dokumente zur Deutschen Verfassungsgeschichte (Documents on German Constitutional History), 3rd rev. ed., vol. 2, 1851-1900. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer, 1986, p. 497.]
** Appointed as plenipotentiaries for the conclusion of the treaty were the following: Heinrich VII, Prince Reuß (1825–1906), Prussian diplomat; Gustav Count Kalnokyi (1832–98), Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister 1881–95; and Carlo Felice Nicolas Count de Robilant (1826–88), Italian Ambassador in Vienna 1876–85, Italian Foreign Minister 1885–87.

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