AP® European History review sheet from Aim for Five (aimforfive.com/euro/units/5/5-7)
Unit 5 · Topic 5.7
5.7 The Congress of Vienna
At the Congress of Vienna (1814–1815), the great powers that defeated Napoleon redrew Europe's map. Led by Austria's Metternich, they restored legitimate monarchs, surrounded France with stronger states and built a balance of power, then agreed to meet regularly to keep order in what became the Concert of Europe.
Key terms
- Klemens von Metternich
- legitimacy
- balance of power
- Concert of Europe
- German Confederation
See it on a map: 1815: The Congress of Vienna
Who was there and what they wanted
The main players were Austria's foreign minister Klemens von Metternich, Britain's foreign secretary Lord Castlereagh, Tsar Alexander I of Russia and Prussia's chancellor Hardenberg. France's skilled foreign minister Talleyrand won France a seat at the table by playing the victors against each other.
Their goals came down to three principles.
- Legitimacy: restore the rightful hereditary rulers overthrown by the Revolution and Napoleon, such as the Bourbon king Louis XVIII in France and Bourbons in Spain and Naples.
- Balance of power: no state, especially France, should dominate Europe again, and no victor should get too strong either.
- Compensation: powers that gave up land in one place were rewarded with land elsewhere.
The new map
The German Confederation, a loose league of 39 states with Austria presiding, replaced the destroyed Holy Roman Empire. Sweden received Norway, and Switzerland's neutrality was recognized. The powers also issued a declaration condemning the slave trade.
| Who | What they got |
|---|---|
| France | Reduced to roughly its old borders; after the Hundred Days, it paid an indemnity and accepted temporary occupation |
| Netherlands | A new kingdom that included Belgium, as a barrier north of France |
| Prussia | The Rhineland and part of Saxony, putting it on France's eastern border |
| Austria | Lombardy and Venetia in northern Italy; Habsburg relatives in other Italian states |
| Russia | Most of Poland, as a kingdom ruled by the tsar |
| Piedmont-Sardinia | Genoa, as a barrier southeast of France |
| Britain | Colonies such as the Cape Colony and Ceylon, plus Malta |
Keeping the peace
In 1815 Russia, Austria and Prussia formed the Holy Alliance, a pledge to rule by Christian principles that in practice supported conservative monarchs. More practical was the Quadruple Alliance of Britain, Austria, Prussia and Russia, which France joined in 1818. Its members agreed to meet in congresses to settle problems, the start of the Concert of Europe.
Metternich used this system to crush liberal and nationalist uprisings, such as revolts in Italy and Spain in the early 1820s (see 6.5). Britain refused to join interventions in other countries' internal affairs, which weakened the system.
Judging Vienna
Supporters point out that Europe saw no war between great powers until the Crimean War (1853–1856) and no general war involving all of them until 1914. The settlement was also fairly lenient toward France, which helped it accept the result.
Critics note that it ignored nationalism and liberalism, handing Belgians to the Dutch, Italians to Austria and Poles to Russia. Revolutions in 1830 and 1848 showed how strong those forces had become.
Worked examples
Try each one yourself first, then open the solution.
- Example 1
Applying a principle
Short-answer practice: Explain how one decision at the Congress of Vienna reflected the principle of the balance of power.
Show the solutionHide the solution
- Step 1: Name the decision precisely.
- Step 2: Explain the threat it addressed.
- Step 3: Connect to the principle.
Answer: Model answer: The Congress created a united Kingdom of the Netherlands that included Belgium and gave Prussia the Rhineland, placing stronger states along France's northern and eastern borders. This was meant to contain France so it could never again dominate Europe as it had under Napoleon, preserving a balance among the great powers.
Common mistakes
- Saying the Congress punished France harshly. Its terms were moderate, partly to keep the restored Bourbon king stable.
- Confusing the Holy Alliance with the Quadruple Alliance. The Holy Alliance was mainly a statement of principles; the Quadruple Alliance, with Britain, set up the congress system.
- Calling the settlement a success or failure without nuance. Credit the long great-power peace and note its blindness to nationalism.
On the exam
- Questions often ask about the principles of legitimacy and balance of power. Match each to a specific decision.
- The Congress is a turning point for continuity and change essays: it restored old rulers but couldn't undo revolutionary ideas.
Connected topics
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3 questions on 5.7 The Congress of Vienna. Pick an answer to see if you got it, and why.
The leaders at the Congress of Vienna (1814–1815) aimed above all to
Which of the following was one way the Congress of Vienna tried to contain France?
The German Confederation created at the Congress of Vienna in 1815 is best described as
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