Why did European leaders meet at the congress of Vienna following napoleans defeat?

Napoleon had dramatically upset this balance by creating new states and annexing territories, and the European leaders wanted to prevent future wars by restoring the pre-Napoleonic order.

To achieve this, they used the principle of legitimacy, which held that the rightful rulers of a state were the ones who had held power before the French Revolution.

This meant that many of the changes Napoleon had made were reversed, and the old monarchies were restored.

In addition, the Congress of Vienna created new states, such as the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Swiss Confederation, in an attempt to create a more stable balance of power.

The settlement at the Congress of Vienna was not perfect, and it did not prevent all future wars.

However, it did help to maintain peace in Europe for over a generation.