What were the aims of the peacemakers at the Congress of Vienna

A detailed Summary of What were the aims of the peacemakers at the Congress of Vienna

The Congress of Vienna was conducted with the aim of reestablishing the territorial divisions of Europe at the end of the Napoleonic Wars. This in turn lead achieving a balance of power among the countries of Europe, which brought peace and order to Europe. To accomplish this diplomacy, the principle of a 'just equilibrium' was adopted and the redrawing of boundaries of Europe to control the expansion of France was made. However, the objectives were achieved to a limited extent since countries' self-interest affected the settlement of boundaries in Europe.

Each Great Power, Britain, France, Russia, Prussia, and Austria came to the Congress of Vienna with a preset idea of what each of their own countries were to achieve. Lord Casthereagh represented Britain at the Congress, adopted the idea of a 'just equilibrium' from William Pitt. Casthereagh believed that the redrawing of country's boundaries in Europe should reflect equality in terms of size and quantity of land, when compared to the other powers. Thus, the term 'just' meant fairness and 'equilibrium' meant the common point of intersection in which all the powers were equal in territorial land. However, Britain's self-interests got in the way of this idea. Castlereag

The peacemakers together agreed on one thing-- France's empire had to be contained. They regarded France as a country that had aims since the 17th century, which caused her to be in a continual aggression of wars. To insure that there was peace in Europe, buffer states were created. These states were set up around France to control the Empire. The Kingdom of Piedmont and Sardinia was created, Prussia's borders were extended towards France to give her control of the Rhine and the Kingdom of Netherlands joined the Belgians and Dutch together. Austria was awarded Northern Italian states so that there would be some Habsburg influence over the French Bourbon monarchy, but also to insure that France would be unchanged.

Chancellor Metternich represented Austria at the Congress of Vienna. In the interests of Austria, Metternich was bossy and domineering during territorial decisions at the Congress. Austria knew their power was slipping and that they were regarded by the other peacemakers as a power unlikely to remain a leading power. Austria was also remembered by the other powers as the country that had not taken a leading part in overthrowing Napoleon's empire. Thus Metternich strived at the congress of a central European power base controlled by Austria. He insisted that Austria have control of the Italian states so that Habsburg power remains influential over Europe and that peace and a good government in the peninsula would not occur without this. Regarding their self-interests, Austria wanted control of the German confederation. When the boundaries were settled, Austria was upset that she had to share the Confederation with Prussia. Thus she demanded that she be compensated for her inferiority to Germany by being awarded territories in Northern Italy. Austria was more concerned with maintaining her own power than trying to bring peace to Europe.

Despite the se

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Category: History