The French Revolution: A Return to Peace

1. The French Revolution:A Return to Peace By: Gourvjit Toor

2. A Return to Peace:Agenda • The Congress of Vienna • Guiding Principles of The Congress of Vienna • Application of The Guiding Principles • Recreationary Alliances • Concert of Europe until 1848 • The Age of Metternich

3. The Congress of Vienna • The ideals of the French Revolution - liberty, equality, and fraternity were not always held by Napoleon • However, they had spread throughout Europe, and left other governments and monarchs in awe and fear of revolutions in their own countries • Thus, the major European powers met at the Congress of Vienna in Austria to restore order, keep the peace, and suppress the ideas of Revolution • Its objective was to redraw the continent's political map and settle the many other issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars, and the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire.

4. Guiding Principles of the Congress of Vienna • The most influential authorities and the Congress included Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, Russia, and France (represented by Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord). • The three principles established were as follows: • (1) The countries that had suffered the most at the hands of Napoleon had to be paid back for what they had lost. • (2) The balance of power had to be restored in Europe, so that no single nation would become too powerful. • (3) All decisions would follow the rule of legitimacy, which meant that all former ruling families should be restored to their thrones.

5. Application of The Guiding Principles • Territory and countries were reshuffled to repair losses during the Napoleonic Wars • The Netherlands received the Austrian Netherlands, and to compensate, Austria gained two northern Italian states • Sweden, which had fought against Napoleon, received Norway, which was formerly Danish, because Denmark had cooperated with Napoleon • Prussia gained some territory along the Rhine River • Great Britain was not given any land on the mainland of Europe, instead gaining several islands in the French West Indies and in the Mediterranean • The victorious European powers also argued of territory distribution

6. Application of The Guiding Principles • For example, both Russia and Prussia claimed parts of Poland which Napoleon had given to his allies in the German state of Saxony • As tensions increased over the balance of power, but Talleyrand managed resolve the dispute by distributing the land fairly himself • Consequently, France’s boundaries were restored to their configuration in 1790 and France was surrounded by a ring of powerful states, ensuring Europe’s peace • France also paid a large indemnity, or a financial compensation to countries for the damage it had caused • Lastly, the principle of legitimacy allowed the Bourbon monarchy to regain control of France, Spain, and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

7. Recreationary Alliances

8. Recreationary Alliances

9. Out of these three alliances grew the Concert of Europe, which was a form of international governance by concert, or agreement The purpose of the Concert was maintaining peace and the balance of power set up by the Congress of Vienna Headed by Prince Metternich of Austria, the Concert of Europe was one of the first serious attempts in modern times to establish an international society to maintain the peace. It was able to do so until 1948 by suppressing uprisings for constitutional governments in both Spain and Italy in the respective years of 1820 and 1822. Concert of Europe until 1948

10. Concert of Europe • Crushing liberal forces in these two countries proved to be positive as they enhanced the Concert's integrity by proving to the world that it had the muscle to uphold its resolutions. • It started a framework of international diplomacy and negotiation in a continent torn by war • One good example of this is in 1827 when three of the Great Powers (Britain, France and Russia) joined in the Battle of Navarino to defeat an Ottoman fleet. • However, the Concert did condone and allow Greece and Belgium to gain independence in 1930 • The Concert of Europe was successful in preventing another great war or dangerous revolutionary uprising (even creating a diplomatic framework that would last until 1914 and World War I)

11. Age of Metternich • For 30 years after the Congress of Vienna, Prince Metternich of Austria influenced European politics very strongly • Metternich as a reactionary believed in absolute monarchy, fearing liberalism and revolution (e.g.- American and French) • Liberals reacted strongly to the Congress of Vienna and Metternich’s actions and uprisings occurred in Europe • However, they were suppressed by Austria, Prussia, and Russia very strongly (not Great Britain as much) • The British were sympathetic to liberal movements in other countries, and withdrew from the Holy Alliance in 1923 as a result • Thus, Metternich’s system of suppression worked very well for a time (until 1930 and 1948 especially)

12. Bibliography • http://wps.ablongman.com/long_kishlansky_cw_5/0,6472,268318-,00.html • http://www.cusd.chico.k12.ca.us/~bsilva/projects/concert/concessy.html • http://mars.wnec.edu/~grempel/courses/germany/lectures/06metternich.html • http://www.pvchico.org/~bsilva/projects/congress/vienessy.html