Histoire Chapitre 2 - L'Europe 1814-1848

Chapitre 2-L'Europe entre restauration et révolution (1814-1848)

• The Congress of Vienna (1814-1815) aimed to reconstruct Europe after Napoleon's defeat, focusing on restoring monarchies and opposing national sovereignty.
• The Congress involved representatives from most European states except the Ottoman Empire.
• Metternich, Austrian foreign minister, played a key role in negotiations.
• France was represented by Talleyrand, although it faced sanctions after Napoleon's return.
• The Congress was disrupted by Napoleon's return and subsequent defeat at Waterloo.
• The congress aimed to establish a new European order based on legitimacy and balance of power, restoring overthrown monarchs.
• The Congress's legacy was a balance of power and diplomacy that lasted for a while, and some significant agreements on various borders and territories.

A new European order (1814-1815)

• The Congress of Vienna aimed to create a new European order using principles different from national sovereignty.
• Despite criticism, the Congress was successful in modernizing diplomacy.

The Congress of Vienna

• Napoleon abdicated in April 1814.
• The Quadruple Alliance organized a Congress in Vienna to reconstruct Europe.
• The congress lasted from November 3, 1814 to June 11, 1815.
• The Congress was temporarily disrupted due to Napoleon's return and subsequent war.
• The final victory for the Allied forces came at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
• The congress focused on restoring territories and balancing power among the European states.

The four powers and France

• All states of Europe were present at the Congress, except the Ottoman Empire.
• The negotiations were led by the four major powers (Austria, Great Britain, Prussia, Russia).
• Talleyrand represented France.
• France was also put under harsh sanctions because of Napoleon's return.

Princes vs. Nations

• European monarchs were restored to power after the French Revolution and Napoleon's rule.
• Restoration of the Bourbon monarchy in France was a key goal.
• Authoritarian regimes were implemented throughout Europe, opposing national sovereignty.
• The principle of a "Holy Alliance" was created, aiming for a "true and indissoluble fraternity".

Territorial negotiations

• The victors' goal was to avoid dominance by one of the major powers.
• A committee was set up to divide territories conquered by Napoleon and integrate them to the other powers.
• Poland's fate was again a key point of contention.

The Peace Through Diplomacy

• The Congress outcome was more complex than it seemed.
• Metternich recognized that a complete return to the Ancien Régime was impossible and prioritized peace, including by abolishing the slave trade.
• The Congress recognized the need for international law and established the principle of the "Concert of Europe."
• It established a method for the succession of states: the names of states were drawn by lot (in alphabetical order).

The Constitutional Monarchy in France (1814-1848)

• The Bourbon monarchy was restored in 1814.
• Louis XVIII, brother of Louis XVI, ascended to the throne and restored the white flag.
• The Bourbon monarchy was challenged in 1830, with the July Revolution.
• Louis Philippe succeeded Charles X following a change of regime.
• Louis Phillippe, a Bourbon family member, came to the throne after the July Revolution.

The Return of the Bourbons (1814-1830)

• Louis XVIII, a brother of Louis XVI, took the throne in 1814.
• Napoleon made a brief comeback, leading the Hundred Days, from March to June 1815.
• The Allies defeated Napoleon decisively at the Battle of Waterloo. The Congress of Vienna’s plan to rebuild France was then completed, with Louis XVIII finally reinstalled on the throne.
• This period saw the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy in France.

The Constitutional Monarchy (1830-1848)

• The July Monarchy was unstable and faced opposition from republican and socialist reformers.
• The 1830s marked the beginning of the rise of republicanism and socialist movements.
• The monarchy faced pressure for political reforms.