CHAPTER 7 SECTION 5

The Congress of Vienna

I. Metternich’s Plan for EuropeA. Klemens von Metternich

1. The Five great powers meet in secret Austria Prussia Great Britain Russia France

A. Klemens von Metternich

2. The most influential person in this secret meeting is Klemens von Metternich, the foreign minister for Austria

A. Klemens von Metternich

3. They had three goals Prevent future French

Aggression by surrounding France with strong countries

Restore balance of power so that no country was much stronger than the next

Restore the Monarch (king) to France

B. The Containment of France1. Austrian Netherlands and the Dutch Republic

are combined to form the Kingdom of the Netherlands

2. Thirty-nine German States are combined to form the German Confederation, dominated by Austria.

B. The Containment of France

3. Switzerland becomes it’s own country4. Kingdom of Sardinia is strengthened by

the addition of Genoa.

C. Balance of Power1. The Congress of Vienna did not want to

punish France because they feared France might try to get revenge one day.

2. Instead, they chose to diminish France’s power.

D. Legitimacy

1. Legitimacy – an agreement to restore as many rulers as possible from the people that Napoleon had removed from their thrones.

2. Restoration took place in France, Spain, and several Italian states

D. Legitimacy3. Political leaders believed this would

stabilize political relations among everyone4. The Congress of Vienna was deemed a

success because it was significant that European nations had cooperated together with a common purpose.

D. Legitimacy

5. The balance of power lasted for 40 years, until the start of the Crimean War.

II. Political Changes Beyond ViennaA. Conservative Europe

1. To combat the ideals of the French Revolution – Russian, Austrian and Prussian Kings agreed to the Holy Alliance which pledged that they could combat future revolutions

A. Conservative Europe2. Concert of Europe

devised by Metternich ensured that nations would help end any revolutions

3. Despite their efforts to undo the revolutionary ideas, it was impossible and would soon directly contribute to revolutions in 1830 and 1848