The Congress of Vienna: 1814-1815
Nov. 22, 2010
Napoleonic Empire: 1813

Took west of the Austrian and Ottoman Empires (not Portugal or GB)
The Defeat of Napoleon

Napoleon initially defeated at the Battle of Nations in 1813

European nations unsure how to proceed
o Who would negotiate with Napoleon?

Led to the Frankfurt Proposals
Frankfurt Proposals

Following the defeat at Leipzig, Metternich offers the proposals

Napoleon would remain French emperor

France would retain its natural “Rhine” frontier

Napoleon rejects the proposals

3 weeks later, Napoleon defeated by Quadruple Alliance
Quadruple Alliance

Russia, Prussia, Austria, England
o Agreed to work together to stop any war or threat to the balance of power

Would meet in Congress to discuss

Austria saw this as defending the status quo

France is continually viewed as a potential violator
o “Concert of Europe”
Abdication of Napoleon

As a part of the Treaty of Paris, 1814
o Napoleon abdicated throne
o Exiled to Elba
o Bourbon Restoration

Louis XVIII
o Congress of Vienna meets for first time in Sept. 1814
The Congress of Vienna

Napoleon escapes Elba and begins his 100 days of rule
o Defeated by Quadruple Alliance

Congress of Vienna continues to meet informally and concludes 9 days prior to
Napoleon’s final defeat at Waterloo
The Congress System

Congress of Vienna was first in a series called the Congress System
o Diplomats wanted to preserve peace
o “Gentleman’s Agreement”

Verbal, no constitution
o Where conflict could lead to war – meeting to discuss resolution
o Early origins of international cooperation

1815-Congress of Vienna

1818-Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle (where France was included)

1820-Congress of Troppau

1821-Congress of Laibach

1822-Congress of Verona
The Dancing Congress

Pageantry, parties, balls
o Banquets like pre 1789

Meant to generate good will between delegates
o Occupy their time since there was often no serious nature of work going on
The Congress of Vienna: Goals and Accomplishment
The Goal of the Congress of Vienna

Draw an acceptable peace agreement in Europe
o No great rewards
o No great punishments
o Redraw the map of Europe as it existed pre-1789 in order to ensure peace &
stability


Status quo ante bellum
Leaders at the congress agreed to a balance of power in Europe
o Ensuring that no country could dominate the continent, politically & militarily as
France had done
Overall Accomplishments of the Congress

Balanced settlement which ensured no major conflict for 40 years and then until 1914
o Crimean War: 1854-1856

Included France
o Kind to France, so as not to lead to feelings of revenge

Ignored demands for greater democracy and nationalism
o Led to many issues in the 1800’s between & within countries

Desire to restore monarchies
o Principle of Legitimacy
Principle of Legitimacy

Restore power to monarchs

Return to power to ruling families deposed after two decades of revolution
o Bourbons in France, Spain and Naples
o Dynasties in Holland
o Papal States returned to the Pope
The German States

German Confederacy was set up to replace the HRE

German states reduced from over 300 to 39

Bicameral Diet established with delegates, presided by Austria

Each state retained independence, was forbidden between states

Consent of Confederacy necessary for foreign war
Condemnation of the Slave Trade

In Feb. 1815 the Congress condemned the slave trade

Inconsistent with civilization & human rights
The Delegates at the Congress
Prince Klemens von Metternich: Objectives (Austria)

Restore Europe to pre-French Revolution

Dominated Congress

Rejected ideas of French Revolution

Conservative, resisted change
o Despised democracy & nationalism

1815-1848
o Anti-democratic policies followed throughout W. Europe
Lord Castlereagh: Objectives (England)

To ensure France would never again become a dominant power in Europe
o Determined to diminish the prestige and influence of France
o Encircle France with larger and stronger states guaranteeing a balance of power
Czar Alexander I: Objectives (Russia)

To organize an alliance system (Holy Alliance) of Christian monarchs to fight revolutions
throughout the world
o Ineffective, idealistic, existed only on paper
o Britain & Pope didn’t join

Wanted a free and independent Poland
o With himself as King of Poland
o Gave him part of Poland
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand: Objectives (France)

Wanted to ensure that France would retain the rank of a major power in Europe

Plays the role of mediator between Prussia/Russia and England/Austria

Divide and Conquer-divided enemies and used it against them

Allies with England and Austria
Treachery of Talleyrand

1808-1809
o Talleyrand secretly in touch with Alexander I
o What would happen after Napoleon’s overthrow
o Metternich’s famous comment

“A lump of shit in a silk stocking”

“Vous estes de la merde dans un bas de soie”
Karl von Hardenber: Objectives (Prussia)

Wanted to recover Prussian territory that was lost to Napoleon in 1807

Wanted additional territory in Northern Germany (Saxony)

Metternich’s puppet

Wanted to pull France apart (but that’s ok Audrey…there’s no need)
Who Got What?

Compensation rewarded to states who made considerable sacrifices to defeat Napoleon

England
o Naval bases


Malta, Ceylon, Cape of Good Hope
Austria
o Lombardy, Venetia, Galicia, Illyrian Province (Adriatic Sea)

Russia
o Most of Poland, Finland
o Alexander I became constitutional monarch of Poland (still autocratic czar of
Russia)

Prussia
o The Rhineland, part of Poland

Sweden
o Norway

Netherland strengthened
o Belgium to Netherlands
o Northern border of France

Prussia gets Rhenish land
o Eastern border of France

Switzerland guaranteed neutrality
o Southeastern border of France

German Confederation
o Eastern border of France

Sardinia adds Genoa
o Southern border of France

France keeps their land
Congress of Vienna: Comments

The confederation of German states & re-division of Italy led to 19th c. unification
activity

Britain appeared to gain little
o But gained colonial powers, commerce


Became the major European colonial power
Liberalism/Nationalism halted, albeit briefly

Russia enters as a West European power from 1815 onwards
o Plays an important role in European diplomacy

Caused World War I