The Balance of Power and the Congress of Vienna - 2635 Words

The Congress of Vienna (1814-1815) No event epitomizes the state of Europe in the wake of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars as well as the Congress of Vienna held between 1814-1815. The culmination of centuries of European political tradition, the Congress was in many ways the last gasp of monarchy in Europe, as the royal houses tried to restore the Europe they once knew and ensure that their way of politics and society would be sustained even in the face of the radical wave of change foreshadowed by the French Revolution. At that time of the Congress Europe was in a state of disarray. The French Revolution that erupted in 1792, Napoleon Bonaparte’s rise to power and the subsequent wars had not only proven†¦show more content†¦Once in full swing, the Congress quickly moved into its first phase, the negotiations over Napoleon’s Duchy of Warsaw, otherwise known as Poland. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth had been partitioned between 1772 to 1795 amongst Hapsburg Austria, Prussia, and Russia. Alexander I, demanding compensation for Russia’s efforts against Napoleon pushed for a plan in which the Prussian and Austrian controlled sections of Poland would be combined into a new Kingdom of Poland under Russian control. In exchange for ceding their Polish territories, Prussia would be given the entire kingdom of Saxony, and Austria would be compensated with extensive holdings in northern Italy. (Gulick) This proposition led to the bitterest conflicts at the Congress in what was dubbed the Polish-Saxon Crisis. The Coalition quickly broke into two opposing camps with Great Britain and Austria in opposition to the Russian proposition, and Russia and Prussia in support of it. Metternich’s reasons for opposing Russian hegemony over Poland were the most pressing. Russian control of Poland meant that the Hapsburg Empire would have to share its north and northeastern borders with Russian soldiery. Likewise, if Prussia were to come into possession of Saxony then the northern perimeter of the Empire would be even more susceptible to invasion, and the already strong political bondShow MoreRelatedVienna Settlement903 Words   |  4 Pagesfar did the Vienna Settlement contribute to maintaining the peace in Europe in the period 1815-1914? The Vienna Settlement refers to a series of agreements made by the European powers at the Congress of Vienna in 1815. As the peace terms with France had already been decided by the Treaty of Paris (signed earlier on May 30, 1814), the Congress of Vienna was mainly concerned with solving the problems brought about by the Napoleonic wars. To solve these problems, the four European powers reached certainRead MoreThe Triumph of the Congress of Vienna Essay987 Words   |  4 PagesThe Congress of Vienna was a series of conferences held in Vienna, from 1814-1815. In which many European heads of government met to establish long-lasting piece, preventing revolution and any other nations from becoming to powerful, on the European continent after the defeat of Napoleon. Even though many countries came together to discus an issue, â€Å"the Congress of Vienna was more successful than many other peace meetings in history† (Beck, 241). The most influential of these representatives wasRead MoreThe Power Of The Great Powers Of Great Britain1650 Words   |  7 PagesUsing Europe as essentially a blank tablet on which to create their own Balance of Power, the Great Powers of Great Britain, Prussia, Austria, and Russia (with France, the defeated power, playing a lesser role) re-drew the map. There had been other pressing matters to settle: the rights of German Jews, the abolition of the slave trade and navigation on European rivers, not to mention the restoration of the Bourbon royal family in France, Spain and Naples, the constitution of Switzerland, issues ofRead MoreWhat Challenges Did The Peacemakers At Vienna Face And How Effective Were Their Solu tions?1617 Words   |  7 Pagesthe peacemakers at Vienna face and how effective were their solutions? Charles Stewart, half-brother to Castlereagh –the principle British diplomat to the Congress of Vienna wrote ‘if we consider the power of Russia†¦what may we not fear from her?’ in response to the situation of high tension created in the Congress of Vienna. The peacemakers at Vienna had two major aims; to main a ‘balance of power’ throughout Europe, and to prevent France from ever reaching the level of power it had held underRead MoreChapter 21: Reaction, Revolution and Romanticism 1815-1850845 Words   |  4 Pagesthis Quadruple Alliance restored the Bourbon monarchy to France in the person of Louis XVIII and agreed to meet at a congress in Vienna in September 1814 to arrange a final peace settlement. II. The leader of the Congress of Vienna was the Austrian foreign minister, Prince Klemens von Metternich. The Principle of Legitimacy I. Metternich claimed that he was guided at Vienna by the principle of legitimacy. B. To reestablish peace and stability in Europe, he considered it necessary toRead MoreDiscuss How Nationalism Spread Across Europe with Napoleon but Was Repressed for a Generation Under the Congress of Vienna and Concert of Europe Until the Revolutions of 1848876 Words   |  4 Pagesgreat power in Europe. Nationalism helped France to develop a national language which was taught in schools to replace local dialects. This unification of language helped the people of France to feel closer to each other, with more in common. It also helped the country in its economics and politics. As Napoleon conquered more areas in Europe, Nationalism rose. Nationalism is what led to the unification and creation of countries within Europe. It also brought about the idea that the power of aRead MoreDisadvantages Of Vienna Congress791 Words   |  4 Pages The Vienna Congress, which brought together all the major European powers of the time, led on 9 June 1815 to the signing of the final act of the Congress of Vienna, a document of one hundred and twenty-one articles written in three hundred leaflets throwing the foundations of a new order. Among the innovations agreed in Vienna were new rules governing diplomatic relations, such as the official titles given to the various categories of State representatives and the precedence of States in alphabeticalRead MoreThe Crisis of France and Talleyrand715 Words   |  3 PagesThe Crisis of France and Talleyrand: Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord (in short, Talleyrand) was born in February 1754 in Paris into a family background of power, ancient nobility, and wealth since his father held a high position in the French Royal army. Since his childhood, Talleyrand suffered from certain physical distortion in the feet that contributed to an impaired physical mobility. As a result, he had some limitations on his possible future career to an extent that he was formallyRead MoreThe Treaty Of Versailles And The Great Period Of Peace1831 Words   |  8 Pageswould rely more on naked power than on shared values† (Kissinger, 1994 page 94). In world history we can reflect on two treaties that had the intention to achieve the same goal of stability; however they had diverse approaches. Henry Kissinger and other proponents of The Congress of Vienna argue that the great period of peace in Europe, between all great powers, was successful in creating longevity in peace due to the realist theories encompassed in The Congress of Vienna. Further, many realists alsoRead MoreFrance - Change over Time Essay (French Revolution)1156 Words   |  5 PagesThe social and political changes in France were best characterized by three different periods - the weak monarchy of King Louis XVI and the subsequent period of confusion after his removal from power, the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte and his downfall, and the new order brought about by the Congress of Vienna; central to these changes were Enlightenment influence, nationalism, and France s relations with other countries. However, despite the great social upheavals of this time period, gender roles