Congress of Vienna

Quick Facts: Who was Congress of Vienna?

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Congress of Vienna

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Diplomatic meetings (1814–1815) establishing the modern European balance of power.

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Origins & Early Life

The Congress of Vienna of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. Participants were representatives of all European powers (other than the Ottoman Empire) and other stakeholders. The Congress was chaired by Austrian statesman Klemens von Metternich (Duke Metternich) and was held in Vienna from September 1814 to June 1815. The objective of the Congress was to provide a long-term peace plan for Europe by settling critical issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars through negotiation. The goal was not simply to restore old boundaries, but to resize the main powers so they could balance each other and remain at peace, being at the same time shepherds for the smaller powers.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

More generally, conservative leaders like Metternich also sought to restrain or eliminate Bonapartist, republican, liberal, and revolutionary movements which, from their point of view, had upended the constitutional order of the European ancien régime. At the negotiation table, the position of France was weaker than those of the United Kingdom, Prussia, Austrian Empire, and the Russian Empire, partly due to Napoleon's recent defeat. In the eventual settlement, France had to give up all of Napoleon's conquests (while keeping certain territories conquered before his seizure of power), while the other three main powers made major territorial gains around the world. Prussia added territory from smaller states: Swedish Pomerania, most of the Kingdom of Saxony, and the western part of the former Duchy of Warsaw. Austria gained much of northern Italy.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Russia added the central and eastern parts of the Duchy of Warsaw. All agreed upon ratifying the creation of the new Kingdom of the Netherlands, which had been created just months before from the former Dutch Seven Provinces together with formerly Austrian territory, and was meant to serve as a buffer between the German Confederation and France. The immediate background was Napoleonic France's defeat and surrender in May 1814, which brought an end to 23 years of nearly continuous war. Remarkably, negotiations continued unaffected despite the outbreak of fighting triggered by Napoleon's return from exile and resumption of power in France during the Hundred Days of March to July 1815. The Congress's agreement was signed nine days before Napoleon's final defeat at Waterloo on 18 June 1815.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1814: 1814 Milestone — The Congress of Vienna of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.
2. 1815: 1815 Milestone — Remarkably, negotiations continued unaffected despite the outbreak of fighting triggered by Napoleon's return from exile and resumption of power in France during the Hundred Days of March to July 1815.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Congress of Vienna

True or False: “The Congress of Vienna immediately established a lasting peace that prevented all major conflicts in Europe until 1914.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While it maintained relative peace for nearly a century, the period leading up to World War I saw significant tensions and smaller conflicts.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Alexander Cunningham — Historical peer (Born in 1814) (1814): Pioneering British archaeologist and founder of the Archaeological Survey of India.
• Ada Lovelace — Historical peer (Born in 1815) (1815): Pioneering mathematician recognized as the first computer programmer.
• Adolph Menzel — Historical peer (Born in 1815) (1815): Pioneering German Realist master, celebrated for his detailed etchings and genre scenes.

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