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Why did Charles III of Spain give Naples-Sicily to his son Ferdinand?
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When Charles III of Spain ascended to the Spanish throne in 1759, he resigned the crown of Naples-Sicily to his third son, Ferdinand I. This transfer was made on the express condition that the Kingdom of Naples-Sicily and the Kingdom of Spain should never be united under a single sovereign.1
This decision was consistent with the broader geopolitical concerns of the era, which sought to maintain a balance of power in Europe and prevent the consolidation of vast territories under one ruler, similar to the restrictions placed on the house of Bourbon following the War of the Spanish Succession.1