Congress of Vienna

Question 1

What was the Congress of Vienna and its big players?

Answer 1

Congress of Vienna (1814-1815):

While Napoleon was exiled for the first time, Europe’s leaders prepared to “turn back the clock” and met in Vienna for a peace conference (to take the progress done on the left side to the right to bring back the “golden age” to go back to the old regime).

The Big Players of the Congress

• P.E.A.R + F
  Prussia
  England
  Austria
  Russia
  Bourbon France was also able to work their way into the “Players Club” (Marquis de Talleyrand)

Question 2

What were the Congress’ three goals?

Answer 2

First Goal: Legitimacy

• Only rulers from families before the French Revolution should be put back on the throne
• Napoleon’s brothers were removed from Holland and Spain
• In France, Louis XVIII accepted the throne, with a constitution that limited his powers and promised equality

Second Goal: Redrawing Map of Europe

• Meant to reward countries who fought to defeat Napoleon
• This caused many ethnic conflicts
  Ex. Poland (bc it divides enthicities and mixes others, this was before diversity was welcomed)
• Also wanted to arrangr Europe to ensure no one nation-state is stong enough to take over the others (limiting size prevents countries to expand on that size)
  Germany and Italy stay small, divided states (WWII foreshadowing)
• These settlements denied femocracy and nationalism → the key ideals of the French Revolution
• France’s borders were reduced to those of pre-revolutionary France (1789)
• The Conference of the Rhine, as set up by Napoleon, remained but other territories were added to create the German Confederation
• Prussia’s borders were set
  More of Poland was given to Russia – - Finland was also given to Russia
• Italy remained a mix of Kingdoms, Republics, and the Papal States

Third Goal: Preserve the Status Quo

• Status Quo: (Latin) The way things have always been
• This would be the Hardest to maintain:
  French Revolution and Napoleonic reforms had given people a taste of equality and freedom
  Anti-Liberal stance that looked to preserve the power of European monarchs

Question 3

What did it mean to be a conservative or a liberal in 1814?

Answer 3

Conservative in 1814:

• Extreme Conservative → Reactionary: Desire a change back to an idealized past
  Ex. restoring the monarchy

Liberal in 1814:

• Extreme Liberal → Revolutionary: Desire a change to something new
  Ex. de-criminalizing of marijuana

Note: Both reactionaries and revolutionaries have violent tendencies bc they are so extreme with their beliefs, they are not afraid to use violence to get what they want (return to the status quo or change)

Question 4

What was happening “behind the scenes” during the congress?

Answer 4

• In addition to the 4 (+1) players, there were hundreds of minor princes, dukes, etc. all meeting in Vienna
• They negotiated for their countries during the day while partying incessantly during the night
• Often called the “Dancing Congress” as many of the “smaller states” (not PEAR + F) didn’t have a lot to do other than attend grand balls

Question 5

What was happening during Napoleon’s 100 days and its results?

Answer 5

During Napoleon’s “100 Days”:

• Congress continued with the idea that Napoleon will eventually defeated
• The Duke of Wellington (Britain) is asked to assemble an army
• Napoleon is defeated at Waterloo
• Louis XVIII returns and the policies of the Congress Vienna are now in place

Results? (Foreshadowing):

• France was punished fot Napoleon;s brief takeover during the 100 days
  Had to give up land
  Pay over 700 million francs to help pay for the costs of Waterloo
• Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia signed a quadruple alliance
• Alexander of Russia proposed a ‘Holy Alliance’ among the Kings to keep peace
  Congress ended amidst promises to meet regularly to deal with any conflicts that arose
• Over the next few years, congresses were held in several different locations to deal with many different issues
  They all had one goal in mind: Keep the peace
• There were minor wars and conflicts bbut they did not encompass all of Europe
• The Congress of Vienna was a succsesful peace confrence
  From 1814 to 1914 (start of WWI) there were no whole scale European conflicts

Question 6

Who was Klemens von Metternich?

Answer 6

• Vienna was filled with diplomats from all over buy the most important was Klemens von Metternich (From Austria)
  “Architect” of the Congress
  In the years to come, Metternich would suppress any signs of revolution
  Secrfet spies, censored papers, suppressed students
  This was adopted by other countries as well