The Congress of Vienna - 1774 Words

The Congress of Vienna was an international conference that was convened with the purpose of remaking Europe after the demise of Napoleon I. The main purpose was to preserve peace by creating a balance of power, sometimes known as realpolitik. Diplomats were sent from Prussia, Russia, France, and Great Britain, along with many other countries. Because it was held in Austria, a prominent Austrian diplomat was present to preside over the congress. He had a great influence on the gathering, because his was the host country. Some of the accomplishments of the congress included: Switzerland being declared neutral, the Dutch Republic becoming united with the Austrian Netherlands to form the Netherlands under the House of Orange, and the French†¦show more content†¦This is where the phrase Le Congrà ©s ne marche pas; Il danse. (The Congress does not walk, it dances)2 came from. There were, however, many issues addressed during the Congress of Vienna. In the time before the Congres s, the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars erased the former structure of Europe. The job of the Congress was to restore peace. The principle of legitimacy was often involved, but it really didnt have any power behind it. Its purpose was to achieve a balance of power that directed the Congress decisions. This led to many alliances, such as the one between Talleyrand, Metternich, and Casltereagh. They wanted to stop Russia and Prussia from gaining more power (Russia was attempting to gain power by annexing Poland and Prussia by gaining Saxony). They all agreed to go to war, if needed, to stop the Russo-Prussian plan. It is interesting to think that the basic idea of the Congress of Vienna was to create peace, but there were three of its delegates, entirely ready and willing to go to war when something wasnt going their way. This was because Metternich, Talleyrand, and Castlereagh, wanted peace, but - as was said earlier - on their own terms. This event brings to light the fact that most of the delegates, while agreeing with the idea of unity and peace for all, were concerned about their own countries welfare first and foremost. During this time, many territories were adjusted. In place of the out-of-date HolyShow MoreRelatedDisadvantages Of Vienna Congress791 Words   |  4 Pages The Vienna Congress, which brought together all the major European powers of the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 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 othe r peace meetings in history† (Beck, 241). The most influential of these representatives wasRead MoreImpact of the Congress of Vienna (1815)3165 Words   |  13 Pagesmarche pas; il danse (the Congress does not work; it dances) was often seen as the most accurate summary of the events taking place during the Congress of Vienna in 1815. Beneath the faà §ade of all the reveling, this gathering of diplomats marked the end of the Napoleonic Wars and the turmoil they wrought on Europe, reshaping the order and structure of the continent in its legacy. With Austria, Great Britain, France, Prussia, and Russia playing the lead roles in the Congress while the rest of the worldRead MoreThe Balance of Power and the Congress of Vienna2635 Words   |  11 PagesThe 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 ofRead MoreWhy Was Italy Not Unified After the Congress of Vienna (1815)?640 Words   |  3 PagesBefore the Congress of Vienna the French occupation had far reaching affects on Italy. The power of the Church and the Pope was reduced, changes were made in landownership and land was redistributed. A new middle class began to appear. Agriculture was improved and the peasants were freed from their old feudal ties and obligations. Then when Napoleon was defeated and the restoration of the old regime and monarchs was started, Italy again became a country divided into eleven independent states, excludingRead 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 Pagesmeetings called the Congress of Vienna. The purpose was to establish long lasting peace and stability in Europe. It was scheduled to last four weeks but went on for eight months. The most influential member of this group was the foreign minister of Austria, Prince Klemens von Metternich. Like most European aristocrats, he disagreed with what he felt were Napoleon’s experiments with democracy in the French Revolution. Metternich had three goals at the Congress of Vienna. First he wanted toRead MoreVienna Settlement903 Words   |  4 Pages1 Fourth History Test: How far 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 fourRead MoreWhat Challenges Did The Peacemakers At Vienna Face And How Effective Were Their Solutions?1617 Words   |  7 PagesWhat challenges did the 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 powerRead MoreThe Power Of The Great Powers Of Great Britain1650 Words   |  7 Pagesin 1814, the Congress of Vienna convened to discuss the post-Napoleonic situation. Using Europe as essentially a blank slate on which to create their own balance of power, the great powers of Britain, Prussia, Austria and Russia (with France, the defeated power, playing a minor role) re-drew the map. At many points during negotiations, various powers threatened the use of force, and it seemed that some questions cannot be resolved diplomatically power. However, the Congress of Vienna ended peacefullyRead 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 to