Congress of Vienna

The Congress of Vienna(September 1, 1814 – June 9, 1815)The Congress of Vienna(September 1, 1814 – June 9, 1815)

Coin Commemorating the Opening of the Congress of

Vienna

Coin Commemorating the Opening of the Congress of

Vienna

Main ObjectivesMain 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.

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.

Goal 1 – Containment of France

Prevent French aggression by surrounding the country with strong countries.Created the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Combined 39 German states into the German Confederation (dominated by Austria)

Switzerland now independent nation

Kingdom of Sardinia (in Italy) adds Genoa

The Germanic Confederation, 1815The Germanic Confederation, 1815

Goal 2 - Balance of PowerDid not severely punish France – might try to seek revenge

Do not break up the country – that could lead to another country becoming too strong

France is a major, but weakened European nation.

No Country Could Easily Overpower Another

Goal 3 – Legitimate Governments

Return the monarchs to power in the countries in which Napoleon drove them out.

The members of the Congress believed this would stabilize political relations among nations

Compensation and Legitimacy

• Compensation– Napoleon’s enemies rewarded with land– Other nations compensated for land taken– Redrew the map of Europe

• Legitimacy– Restoration of pre-Napoleon rulers– House of Bourbon – France, Spain, and the two Sicilies– House of Braganza – Portugal– House of Orange – Netherlands– House of Savoy – Sardinia– German princes – territories in the Confederation of the

Rhine– Pope and Catholic Church – Papal States

Key Players at Vienna

Key Players at Vienna

Foreign Minister, Viscount

Castlereagh (Br.)

The “Host”Prince Klemens von Metternich (Aus.)

Foreign Minister, Charles Maurice de Tallyrand (Fr.)

Tsar Alexander I (Rus.)

King Frederick William III (Prus.)

Metternich

• “The first and greatest concern for the immense majority of every nation is the stability of laws – never their change.”

Of course, there were hundreds of other minor princes, dukes,

barons, and religious leaders all meeting in Vienna. They went to

party after party. During the night they danced with great beauties—

but during the day, they negotiated for their separate

countries.

Key Principles Established at Vienna

Key Principles Established at Vienna

V Balance of Power

V Legitimacy

V Compensation

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.

e Coalition forces would occupy France for 3-5 years.

e France would have to pay an indemnity of 700,000,000 francs.

Territorial Changes

• Austria gained Lombardy, Modena, Parma, Tuscany, and Venetia (all are areas in Italy)

• England gained Cape Colony, Ceylon, Heligoland, Guiana, and Malta (areas in Africa, the Americas, and Asia)

• Holland gained Austrian Netherlands (Belgium)• Prussia gained part of Poland, land along the

Rhine River, 40% of Saxony, Swedish Pomerania, and Westphalia

• Russia gained Finland and part of Poland• Sweden gained Norway

Changes Made at Vienna (2)Changes Made at Vienna (2)V Norway and Sweden were joined.V The neutrality of Switzerland was guaranteed.V Hanover was enlarged, and made a kingdom.V Britain was given Cape Colony, South Africa, and

various other colonies in Africa and Asia.V Sardinia was given Piedmont, Nice, Savoy, and Genoa.V The Bourbon Ferdinand I was restored in the Two

Sicilies.V The Duchy of Parma was given to Marie Louise.V The slave trade was condemned (at British urging).V Freedom of navigation was guaranteed for many rivers.

France’s borders were reduced to those of pre-revolutionary France (1789)

Fate of Nationalism

• People had no say over territorial changes

• Language, nationality, and religion weren’t taken into consideration

• Ideas of democracy and self-government were rejected by European leadership

Italy remained a

mix of Kingdoms, Republics and the Papal

States.

Louis XVIII of France

• No more divine right of kings

• Charter (Constitution) granted in 1814

• Could not restore feudalism and serfdom

• Continuing religious toleration guaranteed

Quadruple and Holy Alliances

• Metternich desired to maintain the status quo and make the Vienna treaties permanent

• Quadruple Alliance of 1815– Austria, England, Prussia, and Russia– France joined in 1818– Pledged to put down democratic or nationalistic

revolts

• Holy Alliance– Organized by Tsar Alexander I of Russia– Most European monarchs joined– Pledged to govern with charity, justice, and peace

• But none of them did so

Results of the Congress of Vienna

• Concert of Europe – group of leading nations which periodically met to discuss issues regarding stability

• Temporary suppression of democratic and nationalistic ideals

• International peace – no general war in Europe until World War I a hundred years later– Crimean War (1854-1856)– Austro-Prussian War (1866)– Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871)

Europe After the Congress of ViennaEurope After the Congress of Vienna