1501 Treaty of Granada and conquest of Naples by Ferdinand and Louis XII.
1502 Quarrel of France and Spain over the division of Naples. The pope and Cesare Borgia side with France.
1503 Gonsalvo de Cordova wins several victories over the French, and finally utterly defeats them at Mola. The kingdoms of Sicily “on this side the Pharos” (Naples) and Sicily “beyond the Pharos” are united under Ferdinand, and the king is known as Ferdinand III.
THIRD UNION
The Royal Line of Spain (1503-1516 A.D.)
1504 Peace between France and Spain. Louis gives up all claim on Naples.
The Austro-Spanish Dynasty (1516-1700 A.D.)
1516 Death of Ferdinand. Succeeded by his grandson Charles IV (V of Germany). A revolt in Sicily is put down the following year. Sicily is used as a starting-point for the African wars.
1554 Charles gives his son Philip the title of king of Naples, on Philip’s marriage to Mary of England.
1556 Abdication of Charles V. Philip I (II of Spain) receives the Two Sicilies as part of his dominions. The kingdom becomes merely a Spanish province. Pope Paul IV wishes to drive the Spaniards from Naples and makes a league with Henry II of France for that purpose. Francis, duke of Guise, grandson of René II of Lorraine, plans to obtain the crown of Naples.