The Congress of Vienna, convened by the states of Europe after the collapse of Napoleon I’s empire, attempted to reestablish a balance of power and restore pre-Napoleonic dynasties where possible. It was an unprecedented meeting hosted by Austrian emperor Francis I. The leading statesmen in attendance were Prince Metternich of Austria, Czar Alexander I of Russia, Frederick William III and Prince Karl von Hardenburg of Prussia, Viscount Castlereagh, Robert Stewart, and Arthur Wellesley, 1st duke of Wellington represented Great Britain, and Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord of France, one of the ablest politicians in the history of Europe.

Talleyrand-Perigord, smoothly taking advantage of differences among the four dominant powers, was eventually brought into the group to break a deadlock over the demands of Russia for all of Poland and of Prussia for all of Saxony. With Talleyrand-Perigord’s support, Castlereagh and Metternich forced Russia and Prussia to reduce their claims. Ultimately Prussia was given two-fifths of Saxony, and Russia received most of the grand duchy of Warsaw. The settlement in the west created barriers against French aggression. Belgium was given to the Netherlands, Prussia received the Rhineland and Westphalia, Nice and Savoy went to Sardinia, and Lombardy and Venetia were given to Austria. A loose German Confederation was established primarily for defensive purposes, and Switzerland was neutralized under international guarantee. Denmark ceded Norway to Sweden in exchange for Lauenburg. Legitimate dynasties were restored in Spain, Portugal, and Italy. The settlement as a whole remained in effect for more than 40 years and created durable balance of power, but ignoring nationalist yearning it left unsolved problems that led to the Revolutions of 1848 and later trouble.

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