The role of Metternich at the Congress of Vienna

The Great Powers of the 19th century, Austria, Russia, Prussia, England and France, convened at the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to restore the European geography destroyed by Napoleon and to create a political unity in the continent. As one of the first congresses in the modern Europe in today's sense, the Congress of Vienna created a new "Congress System" that will continue in the following periods. After the Congress of Vienna and with the political developments in the allied countries of Europe, a new era started called the "Metternich System". European States suffered heavy losses in the Napoleonic Wars and reestablished the old monarchy system at the Congress of Vienna by setting the political order back to its status before the Napoleonic occupation. The President of the Congress, Klemens von Metternich, wanted to prevent a possible nation-state formation due to the enlightenment movements emerged in the continent after the French Revolution. For this purpose, he forced other states to accept the establishment of a German Confederation consisting of sovereign states and to let rule this federation by Austria. He prevented the hegemony of his biggest rival Prussia over the Germans by leaving the German States disorderly. He similarly ensured the political security of Austria by preventing the unification of the kingdoms in the Italian territories. Metternich was the most effective statesman at the Congress regarding the meetings, the decisions taken and the implementation of these decisions. However, the new European order was shaped without considering the needs of the social order and therefore hit hard by the uprisings of libertarian peoples. These revolts between 1830-48 turned into revolutions after the declarations of independence by these nations. While the industrialized countries that have been changed with the revolutions experienced economic growth leading to colonialism, Austria lagged behind due to peasantry in the country. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of Metternich on the Congress of Vienna and his political power in Europe. Furthermore, the global dynamism developed with the independent, nationalist and socialist movements and emerged after the collapse of the conservative system enforced by Metternich will be revealed.