CONGRESS OF VIENNA

What was the congress of Vienna? The peace conference to reconstruct a war-torn Europe after the defeat of Napoleon.

FIVE GREAT POWERS PRUSSIA – King Frederick William III RUSSIA – Czar Alexander I AUSTRIA – Emperor Francis I and Prime Minister Klemens von Metternich BRITAIN – Duke of Wellington (for. min.) FRANCE – Prince Talleyrand (for. min.)

KLEMENS VON METTERNICH Metternich dominated the conference and his policies greatly affected European politics for the next century.

METTERNICH’S MAIN GOALS SURROUND FRANCE WITH POWERFUL NEIGHBORS CREATE A BALANCE OF POWER SO NO COUNTRY WOULD BE TOO STRONG RESTORE THE ROYAL FAMILIES TO POWER ACROSS EUROPE

CREATING A BUFFER The great powers either created or strengthened the states along France’s borders to ensure France could not overrun Europe again. Kingdom of the Netherlands, German Confederation, Switzerland, and the Kingdom of Sardinia

BALANCE OF POWER Their goal was to make all countries approximately equal in power. Therefore, France got off relatively easy in terms of the peace treaty. A strong France was necessary to prevent any other states from gaining too much power.

RETURN OF OLD REGIME Legitimacy – they put the rightful rulers back in power (whoever had power before Napoleon took over) They believed the monarchs would help to stabilize the region Overall this was a major victory for conservatives.

CONCERT OF EUROPE ALLIANCE OF THE GREAT POWERS TO ENFORCE THE SETTLEMENTS FROM VIENNA AND TO SUPPRESS REVOLUTIONS. WHY WERE THEY SO CONCERNED BY REVOLUTION?

HOLY ALLIANCE AGREEMENT BY EUROPEAN MONARCHS (Prussia, Russia, Austria) TO RULE BY CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES: CHARITY, PEACE, JUSTICE