![]() ![]() Additionally, the implementation of Article 13 of the Federal Act, which promised each state a constitution, was pursued only hesitatingly in most states. Nonetheless, it opposed the burgeoning national and liberal-constitutional movement. When compared with the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, the Confederation certainly represented a move toward modernization, above all in terms of structure. The constitutional basis of the Confederation was the German Federal Act (which was later supplemented by the Final Act of the Viennese Ministerial Conferences of 1820) the Confederation's highest authority was the Confederal Assembly, which met in Frankfurt am Main and included envoys from all the individual states. Also significant was the founding of the German Confederation, which originally united 35 sovereign states and four free cities (Lübeck, Bremen, Hamburg, and Frankfurt) under the leadership of Austria. Prussia’s acquisition of territory along the Rhine was probably the most consequential change introduced by the Congress, for with this new land Prussia gained a “bulwark” against France. The old dynasties were largely restored on the basis of the principle of legitimacy, and the period of so-called Restoration thus began. France’s one-time hegemonic power was replaced by a new politics of European equilibrium. The Congress made decisive changes to the political map of Europe: borders were redrawn, states reorganized, and territories ceded or annexed. The primary task of the Congress was to settle upon a new dynastic and territorial organization of Europe in the wake of Napoleon’s defeat. The Congress of Vienna under the Leadership of Clemens Prince von Metternich (1814-15)įrom autumn of 1814 until June of 1815, representatives of the European powers participated in the Congress of Vienna under the presidency of Austrian chancellor Clemens Prince von Metternich. For nearly 40 years, the peace and diplomacy achieved at this Congress would last in Europe.From Vormärz to Prussian Dominance (1815-1866) Russia, for instance, gained control over Poland and was allowed to keep Finland, while various individuals were restored to their high-ranking positions. Larger, more powerful nations were tasked with overseeing this goal, and throughout the Congress, territories and positions were among the countries in attendance. ![]() The members who attended the Congress of Vienna weren’t too keen on revolts, and it was their opinion that if the older monarchies were restored, then they had a better chance of discouraging uprisings.Īfter the bloodshed of the French Revolution and the subsequent Napoleonic Wars, those who were present at the Congress made it clear that an important goal was the preservation of peace and stability throughout Europe. This move was known as the Conservative Order, and was done to contain any potential outbreaks of revolt and revolution. Traditional monarchs in France, Austria, England, and Russia were allowed to maintain their power within their countries. It was also widely believed that the more legitimate rulers of Europe should be the ones in power. The German Confederation, however, was not a strong body and would eventually dissolve within years. Germany was strengthened by combining more than 200 states into a 39-state confederation. The representatives also wanted not only a balance of land control, but a balance of power among the European nations, as well. ![]()
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