Between war and diplomacy: Victor Amadeus II and the difficult defence of Sicily

In 1713, following the treaty of Utrecht, Victor Amadeus II of Savoy became king of Sicily. This outcome was strongly supported by Britain. Nevertheless, the international balance remained precarious and with the changing political situation, the attempt to reconquer Sicily from Spain and the stipulation of the Quadruple Alliance, Victor Amadeus II had to deal with the difficult defense of Sicily. This paper, using documents preserved in Italian, English and Spanish archives, reconstructs the diplomatic events relating to the passage of Sicily from the Savoys to the Habsburgs of Austria in the years 1717-1720