Download The French Revolution: A Return to Peace

The French Revolution:
A Return to Peace
By: Gourvjit Toor
A Return to Peace:
Agenda
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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
The Congress of Vienna
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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.
Guiding Principles of the Congress
of Vienna
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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.
Application of The Guiding
Principles
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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
Application of The Guiding
Principles
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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.
Recreationary Alliances
Recreationary Alliances
Quintuple
Holy Alliance
The Three Quadruple
Alliances Alliance (1813) Alliance (1818)
Members
Austria, Great
Britain, Prussia,
Russia
Austria, Great
Britain, Russia,
Prussia, France
Austria, Prussia,
Russia
Main
Purpose
Defeating
Napoleon and
revolutionary
France initially
Preventing the
recurrence of
French
aggression and
revolution,
keeping the peace
Members
promised to rule
as Christians, and
uphold strongly
religious ideals
(conservatism)
Organizational
Structure
Holding periodic
conferences to
discuss common
interests
After the
Congress of Aixla-Chapelle
France joined
Led by Russian
Tsar Alexander I
and guided by
Christianity
Concert of Europe until 1948
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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
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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.
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It started a framework of international diplomacy and negotiation in
a continent torn by war
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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.
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However, the Concert did condone and allow Greece and Belgium
to gain independence in 1930
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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)
Age of Metternich
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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)
Bibliography
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http://wps.ablongman.com/long_kishlansky_cw_5/
0,6472,268318-,00.html
http://www.cusd.chico.k12.ca.us/~bsilva/project
s/concert/concessy.html
http://mars.wnec.edu/~grempel/courses/germa
ny/lectures/06metternich.html
http://www.pvchico.org/~bsilva/projects/congre
ss/vienessy.html