Congress Of Vienna Flashcards
Conservatism
Dislike and avoid change. Believe in traditional, social, and political order, monarchy, wisest most talented should run gov’t. Supported Edmund Burke (monarchists)
Legitimacy
Restoring power to the royal families who lost their thrones when Napoleon Conquered Europe (principal Metternich was guided by)
Metternich and his role
Prince Metternich: Austrian Foreign Minister (Big player in Congress of Vienna). He presided over the congress and was determined to restore the power of royal families who lost their thrones during Napoleon and supported France returning to its 1790 borders (Guided by two principals: legitimacy and power)
Results of the congress of Vienna
- To further enhance the balance of power in Europe, Dutch and Austrian Netherlands became one country known as the Netherlands
- The 39 German states were joined into the German Federation (Controlled by Austria)
- Austria relieved Lombardy and Venetia in Italy
- Britain rewarded for efforts against Napoleon by acquiring Malta, Ceylon, and several islands in the east and West Indies as well as the cape of South Africa
- Norway and Sweden joined under single ruler
- Switzerland declared neutral state
- France restored under rule of Louis XVIII
- Spain restored under Ferdinand VII instead of Napoleons brother…?
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Congress of Vienna
Sept 1814- June 1815
Responding to French rev and Napoleonic Era
Goal: To turn clock back to 1789 and reestablish a balance of power
Big Players and their goals
Czar Alexander I of Russia: wanted control of Poland (settled for less than wanted) Expand territory and gain influence in Europe
Prince Metternich, Austrian foreign minister: legitimacy and balance of power and to maintain a weak multi-ethnic culture empire by creating equilibrium in Europe
King Fredrick William III of Prussia: wanted control of saxony
Lord Castlereagh, British foreign minister: wanted to be rewarded for long struggle against Napoleon- maintain balance of power so no country could gain hegemony and threaten island
French delegate CM Talleyrand: Avoid punishment and great territorial loss
Liberalism and conservatism in congress
Conservatives dominated the congress of Vienna, therefore nationalism was generally ignored and changes made during Napoleonic Era were undone.
Nationalism
Not only pride in one’s country, but pride in a common cultural heritage regardless of political boundaries. Could unite people behind common cause as well as persecute those with different cultural traditions.
Development of national boundaries and nationalism
When two (or more) nations are joined together this could be very problematic because each with their own sense of nationalism would clash with each other and would not respond well under the same leader. Especially of the leader represents only one of the newly joined nations, the other feels unrepresented and unhappy.
Liberalism
A philosophy that supported guarantees for individual freedom, political change, social reform, freedom of speech press and religion. Ideas should be written in constitution. Gov’t should be reformed so that educated responsible people can participate (Republicans)
How did the Napoleonic Era shape the meeting?
Members of the meeting were afraid of a strong France and were unhappy with Napoleons success so they created strong borders around France. They tried to undo Napoleons feats by returning royal families to their thrones… Overall Napoleons success angered other countries, causing them to try to undo it all.
