5.7 The Congress of Vienna

The Congress of Vienna met in 1814-1815 to re-establish the European order and essentially “undo” the French Revolution. Through conservative and diplomatic statecraft, their goal was to restore traditional authority and create a framework for peace and stability in Europe.

Restoring Europe’s Balance of Power

Great Britain, Prussia, Russia, and Austria, the four great powers, were all present; however, Austrian Prince Klemens von Metternich led the Congress. Metternich recognized that the social and political change of the French Revolution was dangerous to established European monarchies.  


Prince Klemens von Metternich; Image Courtesy of Wikimedia

Liberalism and nationalism needed to be eliminated to keep Europe’s balance of power and prevent uprisings. Moreover, the Congress of Vienna and the great powers wanted to ensure that no nation (especially France) would ever be able to dominate Europe again.

To placate the French and maintain order, France was given generous peace terms. The Congress of Vienna wanted to prevent resentful sentiment towards the Bourbons. All the land that France had gained before November 1, 1792, was allowed to be kept.

Although Poland wanted their independence recognized, it became a Russian territory. Additionally, a series of new European states formed to prevent territorial expansion. The Kingdom of the Netherlands developed by combining the Austrian Netherlands and Dutch territories. Piedmont got Genoa, and Prussia received more land along the Rhine River.

Ultimately, the Congress of Vienna accomplished several things:

• Redrew the political boundaries of Europe, creating new countries and altering the borders of existing ones.
• Restored the pre-revolutionary monarchies in many countries and sought to preserve the power of the traditional European nobility.
• Created a new system of alliances and agreements among the major European powers, which sought to prevent future wars by maintaining a balance of power among them.
• Established the Holy Alliance between Russia, Austria, and Prussia to promote Christian values and suppress revolutionary movements.
• Formed the Quadruple Alliance between Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia to maintain the territorial settlements established by the Congress and to prevent the resurgence of French power.

🎥 Watch: AP Europe - Congress of Vienna