The Revolutions of 1830

Nationalism

• Nationalism: belief that the political boundaries of countries should coincide with the ethnicity of their inhabitants

• Ethnicity defined by– Common language

– Common history

– Common culture

• Six key problem areas:– Italy

– Germany

– Austrian Empire

– Balkan peninsula

– Ireland

– Poland

Greek rebel soldier

Liberalism

• Liberalism: belief in enacting middle-class Enlightenment reforms, including constitutions, free press, toleration, increased franchise

• Abhorred mass rule and feared rule by lower class

• Opposed by landed aristocracy and gentry

• J.S. Mill’s “harm principle:” people can do what they please so long as they don’t harm others

• Pressured every European government to change

John Stuart Mill, author of On Liberty

Conservatism

• Conservatism: stability should be maintained through alliance of hereditary monarchy, landed aristocracy, established church

• Chief governments espousing conservatism:

• Austria (Metternich)

• Russia (Alexander I)

• France (briefly under Charles X)

• Concert of Europe favored conservative order Metternich

Restoration Monarchy in France

• 1814: Bourbon Louis XVIII installed by Congress of Vienna

• Agreed to become constitutional monarch, under his own constitution

• French “Charter” (constitution)– Bicameral legislature of

narrow, propertied franchise

– Affirmed post-revolution property rights

– Affirmed rights of Declaration of Man

• 1820: Assassination of royalist Duke of Berri led to conservative crackdown

California gold miner

Greek Revolution

• 1821: Greeks rose up against Ottoman occupation

• Conservative anti-Liberal oppression in UK, France, Spain led to Liberal support of Greek movement

• Liberals saw revival of ancient Greek ideals in rebellion

• England, France, Russia demanded Greek independence: weaken Turkey

• 1830: Greek independence – forced by Great Powers

– Autocratic Catholic Bavarian, Otto I made king; came to love Greece, his adopted country

– Constitution granted in 1843

– Otto overthrown in 1862

Otto I

Russian Decembrist Revolt

• French Revolution ideals spread to Russian officers during Napoleonic wars

• Russian secret societies sought to spread ideas

• Nov 1825: Nicholas I succeeded Alex I in controversy, as Constantine refused position of tsar

• Moscow regiment refused to accept Nicholas: demanded Constantine and a constitution

• Crushed, but established idea of demanding political change in Russia

Other Revolutions• Spain: 1820

– Ferdinand VII promised to accept constitution when he assumed power in 1814, but reneged

– 1820 officers rebelled to force use of a constitution; Ferdinand agreed

• Two Sicilies: 1820– King in Naples accepted constitution

• Conservative Response– 1823-7 France occupied Spain to support

non-constitutional monarchy– Austria invaded Sicilies to restore non-

constitutional rule– Powers invaded to maintain conservative

order, not to conquer– Latin America became independent

during crisis

• Belgium– Congress of Vienna made Belgium part

of Netherlands– 1830 Belgians revolted– Independence grudgingly accepted by

distracted powers

French Revolution of 1830

• 1824: ultraroyalist Charles X reigned, following death of Louis XVIII

• Dissolved legislature, reimbursed émigrés for lost lands, punished sacrilege with death, restored primogeniture

• 1830: French victory in Algeria created patriotism

• Charles issued “Four Ordinances”: restricted press, dissolved new Chamber, restricted franchise to the wealthiest

• Parisians rioted, 1800 died, and Charles abdicated

• Liberals created middle-class constitutional monarchy under Louis Philippe

Delacroix, commonly called 'Liberty Leading the People‘ Delacroix painted himself as the man wearing the top hat. Lady Liberty is portrayed in a mythical state, showing that she is more than a mortal woman.

English Great Reform Bill of 1832

• England avoided revolution largely through cycle of resistance to change followed by gradual reform

• Catholic Emancipation Act allowed Catholic representation, avoiding conflict over Irish delegates

• Great Reform Bill (Whigs)– Eliminate rotten boroughs

– New urban boroughs

– Increased franchise by 50%, but property still required

– Established precedent for future orderly reforms

Earl Grey, Whig prime minister, responsible for Great Reform Bill

Conclusions

• Ideas of the French Revolution did affect Europe, even after Congress of Vienna

• Significant change only took place in UK, France, Greece, Serbia, Latin America, Belgium

• Nationalism, unleashed after Napoleon’s occupations, dramatically affected European politics and Europeans’ definition of themselves

• Conservative forces did not capitulate: oppression for the sake of stability and control of power continued through 1848