challenge of German nationalism

Question 1

when was the french revolution?

Answer 1

1789

Question 2

what were the impacts of the french revolution?

Answer 2

• triggered unrest in rhineland and saxony 1789-90
• france assembly abolished feudal privileged of the imperial nobility
• in 1791 Austria and Prussia issued decleration of Pillnitz which committed A and P to defending principle of hereditary monarchy against revolutionary movements
• April 1792 France responded by declaring war on A and P. after defeats of A and P at Valmy and Fleurus the french invasion allowed radical reordering of Germany
• Prussia (more interested in Poland) dropped out of war in 1975 and accepted french occupation of Rhineland. In return promised compensation.
• ## After Austria was forced to make peace with the french in 1797 negotiations at Rastatt led to a radical territorial reorganisation of Germany. Implementations of these terms briefly deyaled by the outbreak of war in 1799 but Austrian forces were defeated at Marengo and Hohenlinden they were incorporated into treaty of Luneville in 1801

Question 3

what happened in 1805?

Answer 3

• Austrians (allied with Britian and Russia) made an unsuccessful attempt to liberate Europe ended with French occupation of Vienna and defeat of Austro-Russian forces at Austerlitz in Nov 1805. Karl von Dalberg tried to persuade Napoleon to accept imperial crown, southern and western states would be better off linked to France. Napolean rejected this idea dissolved the Empire and set up confederation of Rhine as buffer between France and potential enemies in the east

Question 4

what happened in July-August 1806?

Answer 4

confederation of Rhine

Question 5

what happened in August 1806 other than confederation of Rhine?

Answer 5

• Prussia joined war against France but was defeated at Jena and Auerstadt in October.
• After Napoleon had defeated Russians at Friedland in June 1807 the tsar had little alternative but to accept French plans of Prussia being reduced to 4 provinces occupied by French and forced to pay war indemnity, army reduced to 42,000 men

Question 6

what reforms occurred in Prussia 1807-12?

Answer 6

• Hardenberg, Gneisenau and Stein were convinced only a political transformation would allow Prussia to regain its strength
• Stein began to create a structured ministerial government to replace arbitrary rule by royals
• November 1808 he successfully persuaded king to set up a central administration run by 5 ministers each responsible for a diff department. Country divided up into administrative units
• In 1812 lower-tier organisations were under state control (2 years later Junkers restored their powers at local level)