The Congress of Vienna was held in Vienna, Austria between September 1814 and June 1815. The congress produced short-term successes and failures as well as positive and negative long-term results. The delegates of the main four powers (five including France) of Europe set out with specific goals that were to be addressed, namely the division of the territory won from Napoleon and the creation of a stable Europe where there would not be one major power. Although at times the congress seemed to be more of an amusing festival with its whimsical social events and ongoing parties than an extremely important meeting between the biggest powers in Europe, a great deal of negotiating and decision making did take place. There were many participants from many different places, but of those there were five countries (Austria, Great Britain, France, Prussia, and Russia) that made most important decisions. Klemens von Metternich, representing Austria was the host and probably the most powerful figure at the congress.
The Congress of Vienna, 1814
Map of Europe, after the Congress of Vienna, 1815
English: Congres of ViennaFrom Prussia was Karl August von Hardenburg, from Russia with love came Czar Alexander I, and hailing from Great Britain was Viscount Robert Castlereagh. The French representative who remarkably managed to get France off surprisingly easy was Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand.
From the beginning of the congress each representative at the congress had their own idea of what territory they were entitled to or simply wanted. The task of keeping all of the four major powers happy proved to be tricky. Czar Alexander I had Russia's hopes pinned on Poland. Austria was firm footed in their pursuit of breaking up the Kingdom of Italy by emplacing direct Austrian rule where possible and empowering Austrians to the thrones of other Italian states. Prussia was actively pursuing land lost to Napoleon during the Napoleonic wars. Great Britain was not...