Wanderlust World Wanderlust World The Congress was a diplomatic meeting of European ambassadors, statesman and monarchs after the downfall of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1815. It was convened to re-establish the political order of Europe and set up long term peace.
Settlement of the Congress of Vienna:
1. Restoration of Legitimate Monarchs: In order to restore stability and prevent revolutions, monarchs who were overthrown by the Napoleonic wars were restored to their throne.
2. Territorial Changes: France was reduced to its 1792 borders and some territories were exchanged between European countries. Russia gained much of Poland, Prussia got new lands, Austria received northern Italy and the Netherlands was merged with Belgium.
3. Balance of Power: The Congress aimed to create a balance of power in Europe, to prevent any single country from becoming too dominant.
4. Holy Alliance: The Austrian foreign minister, Klemens von Metternich proposed a Holy Alliance, based on Christian principles, to promote peace and cooperation among European nations.
5. Quadruple Alliance: To enforce the decisions, a Quadruple Alliance was formed between Austria, Prussia, Russia and Great Britain. France joined later in 1818.
6. Concert of Europe: The congress established the principle of collective security through a "Concert of Europe" (a type of regular summits), to manage potential conflicts and preserve the new peace settlement.
7. Supression of Revolutionary ideas: The Congress declared the suppression of revolutionary and liberal ideas that were spread by the French Revolution.
Overall, the settlement aimed to restore stability, balance of power, and prevent wars in Europe.