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BACKGROUND GUIDE
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Table of Contents
Chair Letter
Historical Background
The Congress of Vienna
Topic 1: Formation of German Confederation
Topic 2: Ownership of Poland and Saxony
Notes on the Committee
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CHAIR LETTER
Dear Delegates,
Welcome to BosMUN XVI and the Congress of Vienna. I am very excited to be a part of this
special combination of history and Model UN, and I’m looking forward to seeing what each and
every delegate in this committee brings to debate throughout this weekend.
My name is Katherine Kahley, and I’ll be chairing this committee with the help of my lovely
vice chair. I’m a sophomore here at Boston University pursuing a dual degree in Political Science
and Public Relations. BosMUN is so special to me as I’ve been involved in Model UN in one way or
another since grade school and I have fond memories of attending Model United Nations
Conferences myself.
The task of the original Congress of Vienna was a formidable one, as it attempted to
negotiate a number of territorial issues following the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte. The
congregation of not only the great powers of Europe but also many smaller European states
brought together many different goals and ideas, and forever shaped the future of Europe. For the
purposes of focusing our discussion, the two main topics of debate for this committee will be the
formation of a German Confederation and the ownership of Poland and Saxony, following French
losses and looking at the increased power of Prussia, Austria, and Russia in the wake of this loss.
If you have any questions, please reach out to [email protected].
Best of luck to you delegates,
Katherine Kahley
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Historical Background
To the Congress of Vienna
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Enlightenment
and the French Revolution
The 18th century marked the Age of Reason or Enlightenment1, a time of questioning
authority and a time of invention, discovery and questioning of the status quo. The
Enlightenment was often considered to have been inspired by thinkers like John Locke, Sir
Isaac Newton and Immanuel Kant2. Enlightenment concepts coupled with frustration over
high taxes and rampant oppression reached a boiling point in 1789, marking the start of the
French Revolution which would continue into the late 1790’s 3 . King Louis XVI’s
extravagance and French involvement in the American Revolution brought France to the
edge of bankruptcy. The poor economic situation further hurt French peasantry who had
already endured several decades of hunger, poor harvests, and increasing desperation.
Fearing full out revolt, the King allowed a new assembly to form.
Revolutionary sentiment following the assembly’s formation swept the country, and
the storming of the Bastille Fortress by rioters marked what is now commemorated as the
start of the French Revolution. The newly powerful Legislative Assembly found that drafting
a constitution which all parties could agree upon was a difficult task. In September 1791 a
constitution was adopted, establishing a constitutional monarchy that echoed the
1
History.comStaff."Enlightenment."History.com.2009.
"FamousPeopleoftheEnlightenment-."BiographyOnline.
3
History.comStaff."FrenchRevolution."History.com.2009.
2
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sentiments of the moderates in the Assembly, but angered more radical members like
Maximilien de Robespierre and Georges Danton4.
In 1792, the French Legislative Assembly declared war on Austria and Prussia. This
move, coupled with domestic turmoil, led to a radical takeover and political crisis. Extremists
arrested the king and formed the Convention Nationale, whose first move was to declare
France as a republic and remove the monarchy. Maximilien Robespierre’s move into power
marked a time known as the Reign of Terror, where political dissent was beaten back with
an iron fist. From this political turmoil emerged the young general Napoleon Bonaparte, who
gained popularity following a successful military campaign in Italy. Bonaparte seized power
in 1799 in a coup d’état, creating a de facto military dictatorship in France. He then
established the Consulate of France, of which he became the first Consul in 18005, marking
the end of the French Revolution.
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The Napoleonic Wars (1803 - 1815)
Eager to increase his power and influence beyond France, Napoleon went on to
defeat Austria in 1800. Soon after, he was also approved to rule France for his entire life and
he crowned himself the Emperor of France. Meanwhile, French forces occupied the Helvetic
Republic (Rome and Switzerland) and the Parthenopean (Italy)6. In 1803, Britain ended the
short period of peace between themselves and France. Subsequently the Third Coalition
was formed, comprising of Britain, Russia, and Austria. Napoleon as a result turned his
4
History.comStaff."FrenchRevolution."History.com.2009.
Victoria,NationalGalleryof."Napoleon:RevolutiontoEmpire."NapoleonTheRiseofNapoleon.
6
TheEditorsofEncyclopædiaBritannica."FrenchRevolutionaryandNapoleonicWars."EncyclopædiaBritannica.
August15,2009.
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attention away from Great Britain and annexed parts
of Prussia, Germany, and Italy, making him arguably
the most powerful man in Europe.
By 1811, Napoleon’s success began to fade.
Forced to retreat in Borodino, Russia, a fourth and
final coalition formed in 1813 in a last attempt to stop
Napoleon’s advance. By early 1814 an invasion of
France had begun and Napoleon was driven back by
the Quadruple Alliance of Russia, Prussia, Austria,
and Great Britain, who were also assisted by
Portuguese and Spanish military.
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Post Napoleonic France
(Bourbon Restoration)
Following Napoleon’s defeat, the Bourbon Dynasty was reinstated and Louis XVIII
became the new king with the help of Charles Maurice de Talleyrand7. He attempted to
promote peace and support by granting amnesties to opponents and promising a
constitutional monarchy. For a short time he left the throne upon the return of Napoleon
7
"FranceHistory-FrenchRestoration."TheFrenchRestoration1814-1848.
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during what became known as the “hundred days”8. During this
time, Napoleon left exile and marched upon Paris. Trying to gain
more popular support, he made a number of changes to the
French Constitution. However, when Austrian, British, Prussian,
and Russian forces allied against him once again, Napoleon fled
for the second time, following the Battle of Waterloo. Louis XVIII
returned, and a French experiment in parliamentary government
began.
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The Congress of Vienna
The Congress: The Great Powers and Other States
Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia had signed the Treaty of Chaumont9 in
1814 agreeing to defeat Napoleon. Following Napoleon’s defeat, The Treaty of Paris 1814
stipulated that a congress of the great powers of Europe were to meet in Vienna, Germany
to negotiate peace and settle the future of Europe. Therefore the Congress of Vienna
assembled from 1814-1815 with the overarching goal of reorganizing Europe after the
Napoleonic Wars, a task that was deemed necessary after land disputes followed
Napoleon’s retreat10.
The European balance of power was in disarray at this time, having been greatly
damaged by Napoleon’s regional domination. The countries hoped restoring a balance of
power would prevent another situation where a single powerful country would be able to
wield sole destructive influence. The goals of the four great powers all had something to do
8
TheEditorsofEncyclopædiaBritannica."HundredDays."EncyclopædiaBritannica.July11,2002.
TheEditorsofEncyclopædiaBritannica."TreatyofChaumont."EncyclopædiaBritannica.February11,2016
10
"CongressofVienna."EncyclopædiaBritannica.https://www.britannica.com/event/Congress-of-Vienna.
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with rebalancing power while simultaneously placing their country in the most advantageous
position possible.
Great Britain was especially interested in creating and maintaining a new balance of
power. France’s defeat placed the country in a weakened position in relation to Britain.
Obviously then Great Britain had a deep wish to prevent France from becoming too powerful
and threatening their position. In contrast, Russia was hoping to gain a more powerful place
in the balance of powers. Russia’s location made it a less centrally significant location, and
until the Napoleonic Wars they were a less influential player in European politics compared
to other countries such as Great Britain and France. Austria’s main concern was maintaining
national security and preventing future invasion. Surrounded by potentially dangerous
neighbors, Russia and Prussia, Austria hoped to guard against further attack and potentially
acquire more territory to increase their power. Prussia’s goal was territorial gain, especially
amongst German states, in a desire to take back the power and influence it lost to
Napoleon11.
Smaller powers including Spain, Portugal and Sweden also signed the Treaty of Paris
and attended the Congress of Vienna. Spain and Portugal were both once powerful
countries whose influence had dwindled even before the Age of Enlightenment. Being
included in the Congress of Vienna offered both countries a chance to influence the future
or Europe and insert themselves more forcefully as players in the balance of power. Sweden,
meanwhile, had lost a significant amounts of land to Russia. Preventing Russia from gaining
even more land and influence was in Sweden’s best interest.
France, the defeated party, had of course signed the Treaty of Paris and was therefore
included in the Congress stipulation. Originally the great powers hoped to exclude France
from any serious negotiation12. However, the diplomacy of Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand
worked to move the French diplomatic position away from being seen as the defeated power
11
"HistoricalBackground."HistoricalBackground.http://1814congressofvienna.tripod.com/id12.html.
"PersuasionthroughNegotiationattheCongressofVienna1814-1815|DiploFoundation."Persuasionthrough
NegotiationattheCongressofVienna1814-1815
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and into their former position as a European power13. While Talleyrand increased the
negotiating powers of France, other delegates to the Congress of Vienna also represented
France and made an effort to restore their once great nation, or sometimes personal wealth.
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Topic 1:
German Reorganization Formation of a German
Confederation
One such disputed territory was that of Germany. Prior to the Napoleonic Era,
Germany was a loose group of states united by the weak governing of the Holy Roman
Empire. During Napoleon’s military campaign Germany was captured, and the Treaty of
Luneville was established. The treaty worked to form German satellite states and
redistributed German territory. The goal of such redistribution was to reduce the number of
autonomous states while preventing the formation of a single state powerful enough to
oppose France14. These sixteen German states were then organized into the Confederation
of the Rhine, derived in part from areas which had previously been heavily influenced by
Austria. During Napoleon’s rule, two types of German nationalisms emerged— conservative
13
14
"TheDiplomacyofTalleyrand."TheDiplomacyofTalleyrandCongressofVienna.
"TreatyofLunéville."EncyclopædiaBritannica
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nationalism and liberal nationalism. The former
wanted to go back to pre-Napoleonic ways, while the
latter was a more revolutionary movement that hoped
for self-government and a unified German state. The
reorganization of these German states became the
responsibility of the Congress of Vienna.
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Topic 2:
Ownership of Poland and Saxony
The question of Poland and Saxony was complicated by claims on the territory by
Sweden, Denmark, and Russia. Additionally, the decisions made regarding German territory
also have the potential to affect claims on the two areas. From 1772-1792, in what is
considered the pre-Napoleonic Wars era, Russia, Austria, and Prussia divided Poland
numerous times until it was incorporated into all three countries. During the time of
Napoleon’s conquests, some areas of Poland fell under his control and were re-defined yet
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again, this time as the Grand Duchy of Warsaw15. Going into the Congress of Vienna,
several countries including Russia, Austria, and Prussia were interested in acquiring Polish
territory. However, by that point the people of Poland, similar to the people of Germany,
were becoming increasingly nationalistic and interested in self-governance.
Similar to the Duchy of Warsaw, the Kingdom of Saxony was a Napoleonic state that
Russia and Prussia considered strategically and territorially important during negotiation.
States interested in controlling Poland and Saxony argued that they should maintain control
of the areas, while other countries feared that allowing Poland and Saxony to be controlled
by other nations would upset the balance of power.
15
TheEditorsofEncyclopædiaBritannica."DuchyofWarsaw."EncyclopædiaBritannica.July28,2010.
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Notes on the Committee
November 1st, 1814 is the official start date of our committee. Keep in mind that the
outcomes of the actual Congress of Vienna do not (in fact, perhaps should not) be the
decisions we reach in the committee. Each delegate’s goal should be to negotiate the most
favorite position for the country they are representing.
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References
Maps16
Europe, 1792, Pre-Napoleon
16
Technology,FloridaCenterforInstructional."Europe-CompleteMaps."Europe-CompleteMaps.
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Europe during the time of Napoleon’s Military Campaigns (1796-1815)
Europe Following the Congress of Vienna (1815)
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Useful Links
1. https://www.britannica.com/event/Congress-of-Vienna.
2. http://www.encyclopedia.com/history/modern-europe/treaties-andalliances/congress-viennahttp://www.encyclopedia.com/history/moderneurope/treaties-and-alliances/congress-vienna
3. http://www.historytoday.com/stella-ghervas/what-was-congressviennahttp://www.historytoday.com/stella-ghervas/what-was-congress-vienna
4. http://www.historytoday.com/stella-ghervas/what-was-congress-vienna
5. http://www.historytoday.com/stella-ghervas/what-was-congress-vienna
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Bibliography
1. "Congress of Vienna." Encyclopædia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/event/Congress-of-Vienna.
2. "Famous People of the Enlightenment -." Biography Online
http://www.biographyonline.net/people/famous/enlightenment.html.
3. "France History - French Restoration." The French Restoration 1814 - 1848.
http://www.bonjourlafrance.com/france-history/french-restoration.htm.
4. "Historical Background." Historical Background
http://1814congressofvienna.tripod.com/id12.html.
5. History.com Staff. "Enlightenment." History.com. 2009.
http://www.history.com/topics/enlightenment.
6. History.com Staff. "French Revolution." History.com. 2009.
http://www.history.com/topics/french-revolution.
7. "Persuasion through Negotiation at the Congress of Vienna 1814-1815 |
DiploFoundation." Persuasion through Negotiation at the Congress of Vienna 1814-
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1815 | DiploFoundation. https://www.diplomacy.edu/resources/general/persuasionthrough-negotiation-congress-vienna-1814-1815.
8. Technology, Florida Center for Instructional. "Europe - Complete Maps." Europe Complete
Maps.http://etc.usf.edu/maps/galleries/europe/complete/index.php?pageNum_Rec
ordset1=1.
9. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Duchy of Warsaw." Encyclopædia
Britannica.
July
28,
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Accessed
January
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https://www.britannica.com/place/Duchy-of-Warsaw.
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August
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https://www.britannica.com/event/French-revolutionary-wars#ref171789.
11. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Hundred Days." Encyclopædia Britannica.
July 11, 2002. https://www.britannica.com/event/Hundred-Days-French-history.
12. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Treaty of Chaumont." Encyclopædia
Britannica. February 11, 2016. https://www.britannica.com/event/Treaty-ofChaumont.
13. "Treaty
of
Lunéville."
Encyclopædia
Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Treaty-of-Luneville.
14. Victoria, National Gallery of. "Napoleon: Revolution to Empire." Napoleon The Rise of
Napoleon.
http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/napoleon/revolution-to-empire/the-rise-ofnapoleon.html.
15. "What Was the Congress of Vienna?" What Was the Congress of Vienna? | History
Today. http://www.historytoday.com/stella-ghervas/what-was-congress-vienna.
16. "The Diplomacy of Talleyrand." The Diplomacy of Talleyrand Congress of Vienna.
http://www.age-of-the-sage.org/historical/biography/talleyrand.html.
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