The Erfurt Union 1849 The Treaty of Olmutz 1850

The Erfurt Union  Also known as the League of the Three Kings.  Started by Frederick William IV of Prussia along with the kings of Saxony and Hanover.  27 states eventually joined and it became the Erfurt Union.  It was an attempt by the rulers to have a form of unification on their terms.  It had a limited constitution and parliament, though not a very liberal one.  NOT a unified state - more of an alternative to the Bund.

Austrian Recovery  By 1850, revolution had subsided in the Austrian Empire.  The Austrians had a new Chancellor – Schwartzenberg.  This meant that Austria was once again in a position to intervene in German affairs.  The Russians made clear that they would support Austria in any war to end the Erfurt Union threat.

The Treaty of Olmutz 1850  Also known as the ‘Humiliation of Olmutz’ by the Prussians.  At a meeting at Olmutz in 1850 the Bund was re-convened as it had been before 1848 and Prussia was forced to dissolve the Erfurt Union.

 This marked a swing in the balance of power back towards Austria, as the Bund was fully reinstated with Austria back in its dominant role as President and actively working against unification.  Prussia was not yet ready to challenge Austria militarily or in terms of leadership and create a Kleindeutschland – that would not come until the 1860s.