Europe in 1812
T he Congress of Vienna
(September 1, 1814 – June 9, 1815)
Main Objectives
e It’s job was to undo everything that Napoléon
had done:
V Reduce France to its old boundaries  her
frontiers were pushed back to 1790 level.
V Restore as many of the old monarchies as
possible that had lost their thrones during
the Napoléonic era.
e Supported the resolution: There is always an
alternative to conflict.
Key Players
at Vienna
Foreign Minister,
Viscount Castlereagh (Br.)
Tsar Alexander I
(Rus.)
The “Host”
Prince Klemens von
Metternich (Aus.)
Chancellor Prince
Hardenberg (Prus.)
Foreign Minister, Charles
Maurice de Tallyrand (Fr.)
Key Principles Established
at Vienna
V Balance of Power
V Legitimacy
V Compensation
e Coalition forces would occupy France for
3-5 years.
e France would have to pay an indemnity of
700,000,000 francs.
Changes Made at Vienna (1)
V RUSSIA

Gained small Polish kingdom (duchy of
Warsaw)
V PRUSSIA & AUSTRIA



Prussia expanded in Saxony & the Rhineland
Austria won Lombardy & Venetia (Italy) &
Galicia (Poland)
Both were strengthened to balance Russia’s
gains
V GREAT BRITAIN

Kept what she had won outside Europe during
the wars
Europe A fter the Congress of Vienna
Changes Made at Vienna (2)
V CONCERT OF EUROPE



Quadruple Alliance agreed to meet periodically
in conferences
Conferences were to discuss common interests
& examine measures that would maintain peace
in Europe
Four congresses were held b/t 1818-1822
V PRINCIPLE OF INTERVENTION

Great Powers of Europe had a right to send
armies into countries where there were
revolutions & restore legitimate monarchs to
thrones
Ideology of Conservatism (19th c.)
V Tradition is the only trustworthy guide to social &
political action
V Favored obedience to political authority. They
supported…



Monarchy
Traditional class system dominated by aristocracy
Organized religion  the traditional churches
V Opposed innovation & reform  led to revolution,
violence, disorder & bloodshed
V Key philosophers:


Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolutions in France (1790)
Joseph de Maistre, Essay on the General Principle of Political
Constitutions (1814)
Ideologies arose to Challenge Conservatism
1. Nationalism  Idea that humans are divided
into separate nations, each with a distinct culture
& territory & deserving an independent political
life.
2. Liberalism  political philosophy originally
based largely on Enlightenment principles,
holding that people should be as free as
possible from gov’t restraint & that civil liberties –
the basic rights of all people – should be
protected.