Britannica Sources used in this answer

What was the Triple Alliance involving Austria-Hungary, Germany, and Italy?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Franz Joseph Emperor of Austria and king of Hungary,Franz Joseph, 1908.

The Triple Alliance was a secret agreement formed in May 1882 between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. It built upon the 1879 Austro-German Alliance, which had established mutual support between the two empires in the event of an attack by Russia.21

Under the terms of the Triple Alliance:
* Germany and Austria-Hungary pledged to assist Italy if it were attacked by France without provocation.2
* Italy agreed to assist Germany if it were attacked by France.2
* Italy promised to remain neutral in the event of a war between Austria-Hungary and Russia, a provision intended to free up Austrian troops.2

Despite the alliance, Italy and Austria-Hungary maintained conflicting interests, particularly regarding the Balkans and Italian territorial ambitions in the Tirol and Dalmatia. Italy eventually entered World War I in 1915 in opposition to its former partners.23