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Triple Alliance

Otto von Bismarck · 1882

A defensive alliance signed in 1882 between Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy, engineered chiefly by Bismarck to isolate France.

Bismarck was the chief architect of this alliance, designed to isolate France and secure his new German Empire.

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Sepia-toned print with three oval portraits of men in military uniforms, arranged in a triangle over a banner reading 'L'Alleanza tripla è la Pace.' Top: a man with a large mustache in a dark uniform with decorations. Lower left: a man with a mustache wearing a cross medal. Lower right: a bearded older man in a light military coat with medals. Laurel branches decorate the background.
Print celebrating the Triple Alliance (1882), showing the rulers of Italy, Germany and Austria-Hungary.

About this source

What it is

The Triple Alliance was a defensive military treaty between Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy, signed on 20 May 1882 and renewed periodically until 1915. It bound the members to support each other if attacked by another great power, particularly France.

Why it matters

The treaty was mainly the work of German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, who wanted to preserve the European balance of power after unifying Germany and feared France seeking allies to reclaim Alsace-Lorraine. By tying Austria-Hungary and Italy to Germany, he made them dependent on Berlin and less likely to side with France. The alliance later unraveled: Italy eventually fought against its former partners in the First World War.

Look closer

  • What does this treaty tell you about Bismarck's fears after German unification?
  • Why might smaller powers like Italy agree to such an alliance?
  • What does the print's message 'the triple alliance is peace' leave out about the alliance's real purpose?

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