The Concert of Vienna
(1814-1815)
By: Devika Chandramohan
AP European History
Period 5- Kinberg
Background
Click to watch a brief video on Napoleon
• Napoleon:
– Failed in his invasion of Russia
– Britain, France, Austria, Sweden, and Russia against
him
– Treaty of Chaumont (Mar. 10, 1814): Great Britain,
Russia, Austria, and Prussia agree to hold peace
meeting later on
– Apr. 12, 1814: renounced his throne
– Exiled to island of Elba
(“Landing”)
Issues to Be Solved
“Legitimacy, Security, Compensation”
• Control France so that it will never expand like
it did under Napoleon
• Reestablish monarchies
• Balance of powers
• Distribution of lands
(Streich)
Who Participated?
Most important person
Robert Stewart,
Viscount Castlereagh
(Great Britain)
Prince Klemens von
Metternich
(Austria)
--Conducted the Congress
Prince Karl August von Hardenberg,
Chancellor
(Prussia)
Tsar Alexander I
(Russia)
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord
Prince of Talleyrand
(France)
Along with most of the other powers in Europe, who were not given a major role…
Dealing with France…
• First Peace of Paris (May
30, 1814): Established
Louis XVIII King of France=
reestablishment of
Bourbon monarch
Copy of Treaty of Paris (“Copy”).
– Regained some colonies
(like in India)
– Had to abolish slavery
– Allowed to keep artwork
Napoleon had taken by
force
• Also known as Treaty of
Paris
France’s Land
• Reduced size of France to slightly larger than
what it was in 1792 (Chambers 644).
• Surrounded by weak powers= prevent weak
powers from being taken over by France
– Kingdom of Netherlands
– German Confederation (dominated by Austria)
– Switzerland
– Kingdom of Sardinia (“The Congress”).
Map of Europe, 1812
(“Map”).
Notice the change in
France’s size, as well
appearance of new
independent
kingdoms.
Map of Europe, 1815 (“France”).
Dealing with other lands…
• Tsar Alexander I wanted
Poland
• Prussia agreed to allow
it if they got Saxony
• Great Britain and Austria
saw this as dangerous to
balance of powers
(Snyder).
Kingdom of Poland before partition
(“Polnische”).
• Talleyrand saw conflict as opportunity to get
France involved
• Proposes:
– Russia get smaller piece of Poland
– Prussia get smaller piece of Saxony
– If they don’t agree, Britain and Austria should
make alliance to force them to agree (actually
made Jan. 3, 1815 but never used)
• Feb. 11, 1815: Poland partitioned to Austria,
Prussia, Russia
– Solution raised France’s power in Congress until
someone returned…
(Snyder)
(“Russian-Ruled”)
• Russia received Finland from Sweden
• Sweden received Norway from Denmark
• Great Britain obtained Malta, Ceylon, the
Cape of Good Hope colony, and Dutch Guiana
• Austria gave up Netherlands and got Salzburg,
the Tyrol, the Italian lands of Lombardy and
Venetia and districts along the Dalmatian
coast
(Snyder)
Napoleon Returns…
• Napoleon escaped Elba and returned to regain his
empire in March of 1815.
• Campaign only lasted 100 days, thanks to the Duke of
Wellington.
• Exiled to St. Helena
• June 9, 1815: Congress signed Final Act of the
Congress of Vienna (basically finalizing changes made)
(Chambers 644).
Click to watch a short clip on the
Battle of Waterloo
(Lawrence)
Lord Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington
Second Peace of Paris
• France’s support of Napoleon’s return =
Congress tougher on France
• Talleyrand made prime minister of France, but
France excluded often in decisions of Congress
• Prussia wanted harsh treatment of France
– Most others wanted moderate approach
• Castlereagh convinced everyone that
“security, not revenge” would promote peace.
Revenge= rebellion from France
– Suggested indemnity (700 million franks to Allies)
and return of artwork
– Talleyrand resigned, replaced Armand Emmanuel
du Plessis, Duke of Richelieu, who accepted treaty
• Reduced France’s landholdings even more
• Signed on Nov. 20, 1815
(Snyder)
Additional Alliances…
• Holy Alliance
– Proposed by Tsar Alexander I
– Countries conduct affairs according
to Christian beliefs
– Ottomans (not Christian), Pope Pius
VII (didn’t want a deal with
Protestants), and British (didn’t want
to make any commitments to the
Continent) refused.
– Signed by Austria, Russia, and
Prussia on Sept. 14-26th, 1815
– Rather worthless, but did look good
in eye of the morality of the public
Three Sovereigns of
the Holy Alliance
(“Three”).
(“The Holy”)
• Concert of Europe
– Called by Metternich
– Agreement between major powers of
Europe to act together in order to maintain
conservatism
– Prevent revolutions
– Did not work out well
• Most powers acted on their own
– Ex: Britain and France declare war on Ottoman
Empire even though Metternich did not approve
• Ties between nations breaking down slowly
(Chambers 646)
Successes of Congress of Vienna
• No major war between European powers for
another century
• Established diplomatic rules used to this day
• Free use of international waterways
• Brought back conservatism
• Balance of power maintained
(Chambers 644)
Critics
• Delegates spent a lot of
time with entertainment
– Imperial Masquerade
– Performances
– Parades
– Exhibitions (Spiel 89-130)
(“Le Congres”)
• Considered it “the
occasion during which
aristocrats danced while
foisting reactionary
regimes on the people of
Europe” (Chambers 646).
• Changed borders without even considering
nationality and the people
• Took away many rights people had received
during Revolutionary era
• Still a constant fear of revolution
• Small groups still working towards
constitution and freedom in their nations
(Chambers 646-652)
Metternich, at the
center of attention,
as usual.
Congress of Vienna (“Congress”).
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