Congress of Vienna 1814-1815

Goals of the Congress Peace settlement Legitimacy: restore “legal” governments (hereditary monarchy) Compensation: reward nations that helped to defeat Napoleon

Goals of the Congress Balance of power: agreed to keep any one country from becoming too powerful Surround France with strong countries

Prince Clemens von Metternich Quadruple Alliance Austria Prussia Russia Great Britain Prince Clemens von Metternich

Key Representatives Austria: Count Metternich Great Britain: Lord Castlereagh Prussia: King Frederick William Russia: Czar Alexander I France: Talleyrand

Decisions Made at the Congress of Vienna Empire: ended & French borders returned to those of 1792 (before the war started) Former royal family restored to the throne (i.e. Louis XVIII became King of France)

Decisions Made at the Congress of Vienna Borders changed to reward countries that helped to defeat Napoleon, to maintain the balance of power & to surround France with strong states

Land Distribution Prussia: given land along the Rhine, part of Saxony Austria: given back Northern Italy; also to oversee the German Federation

Land Distribution Russia: given Poland Great Britain: given various islands (i.e. Malta) & Cape Colony (southern tip of Africa)

Land Distribution Sweden: given Norway Sardinia & Piedmont joined Dutch Netherlands: given the Austrian Netherlands (Belgium)

Land Distribution Napoleon returned just before the treaty was finalized (the 100 Days); after he was defeated again (Waterloo), France was forced to pay an indemnity (payment for war costs)

Post Vienna Concert of Europe: Countries had regular meetings to settle international problems

Post Vienna Quadruple Alliance (Britain, Prussia, Russia, Austria) Holy Alliance (Prussia, Russia, Austria) Metternich System: Defend absolute monarchy Stamp out nationalism and liberalism

Post Vienna Nationalism: national pride; the desire of groups of people to have their own country and independent government based on nationality

Post Vienna Liberalism: based on the ideas of the Enlightenment & the moderate French Revolution; supported freedoms of speech, press, religion & trade and equality before the law

Revolts/Revolutions… Liberals in Spain & Nationalists in Italy tried to overthrow the monarchies The Concert of Europe intervened and crushed these rebellions

Revolts/Revolutions… BUT… In Latin America many countries became independent from Spain and Portugal

Napoleon’s Legacy Millions of people died in the wars BUT Napoleon had spread the revolutionary ideas of Nationalism and Liberalism Ideas that continue to affect the world today France has 4 more revolutions in the 1800’s!