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Home , Congress of Vienna, Treaty of Chaumont, Treaty of Paris (1814), Treaty of Paris (1815)

BACKGROUND GUIDE Specialized // Congress of

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Table of Contents

Chair Letter Historical Background The Topic 1: Formation of Topic 2: Ownership of and Notes on the Committee

PAGE 1 BACKGROUND GUIDE Specialized // Congress of Vienna +

CHAIR LETTER

Dear Delegates,

Welcome to BosMUN XVI and the Congress of Vienna. I am very excited to be a part of this special combination of history and Model UN, and I’m looking forward to seeing what each and every delegate in this committee brings to debate throughout this weekend. My name is Katherine Kahley, and I’ll be chairing this committee with the help of my lovely vice chair. I’m a sophomore here at Boston University pursuing a dual degree in Political Science and Public Relations. BosMUN is so special to me as I’ve been involved in Model UN in one way or another since grade school and I have fond memories of attending Model Conferences myself. The task of the original Congress of Vienna was a formidable one, as it attempted to negotiate a number of territorial issues following the defeat of Bonaparte. The congregation of not only the great powers of but also many smaller European states brought together many different goals and ideas, and forever shaped the future of Europe. For the purposes of focusing our discussion, the two main topics of debate for this committee will be the formation of a German Confederation and the ownership of Poland and Saxony, following French losses and looking at the increased power of , , and in the wake of this loss. If you have any questions, please reach out to [email protected].

Best of luck to you delegates,

Katherine Kahley

PAGE 2 BACKGROUND GUIDE Specialized // Congress of Vienna Historical Background

To the Congress of Vienna

+ Enlightenment and the French

The 18th century marked the Age of Reason or Enlightenment1, a time of questioning authority and a time of invention, discovery and questioning of the status quo. The Enlightenment was often considered to have been inspired by thinkers like John Locke, Sir Isaac Newton and Immanuel Kant2. Enlightenment concepts coupled with frustration over high taxes and rampant oppression reached a boiling point in 1789, marking the start of the which would continue into the late 1790’s 3 . King Louis XVI’s extravagance and French involvement in the brought to the edge of bankruptcy. The poor economic situation further hurt French peasantry who had already endured several decades of hunger, poor harvests, and increasing desperation. Fearing full out revolt, the King allowed a new assembly to form. Revolutionary sentiment following the assembly’s formation swept the country, and the storming of the Bastille Fortress by rioters marked what is now commemorated as the start of the French Revolution. The newly powerful Legislative Assembly found that drafting a which all parties could agree upon was a difficult task. In September 1791 a constitution was adopted, establishing a constitutional monarchy that echoed the

1 History.com Staff. "Enlightenment." History.com. 2009. 2 "Famous People of the Enlightenment -." Biography Online. 3 History.com Staff. "French Revolution." History.com. 2009.

PAGE 3 BACKGROUND GUIDE Specialized // Congress of Vienna sentiments of the moderates in the Assembly, but angered more radical members like Maximilien de Robespierre and Georges Danton4. In 1792, the French Legislative Assembly declared war on Austria and Prussia. This move, coupled with domestic turmoil, led to a radical takeover and political crisis. Extremists arrested the king and formed the Convention Nationale, whose first move was to declare France as a republic and remove the monarchy. Maximilien Robespierre’s move into power marked a time known as the Reign of Terror, where political dissent was beaten back with an iron fist. From this political turmoil emerged the young general Napoleon Bonaparte, who gained popularity following a successful military campaign in . Bonaparte seized power in 1799 in a coup d’état, creating a de facto military dictatorship in France. He then established the Consulate of France, of which he became the first Consul in 18005, marking the end of the French Revolution.

+ The (1803 - 1815)

Eager to increase his power and influence beyond France, Napoleon went on to defeat Austria in 1800. Soon after, he was also approved to rule France for his entire life and he crowned himself the Emperor of France. Meanwhile, French forces occupied the ( and ) and the Parthenopean (Italy)6. In 1803, Britain ended the short period of peace between themselves and France. Subsequently the Third Coalition was formed, comprising of Britain, Russia, and Austria. Napoleon as a result turned his

4 History.com Staff. "French Revolution." History.com. 2009. 5 Victoria, National Gallery of. "Napoleon: Revolution to Empire." Napoleon The Rise of Napoleon. 6 The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars." Encyclopædia Britannica. August 15, 2009.

PAGE 4 BACKGROUND GUIDE Specialized // Congress of Vienna attention away from Great Britain and annexed parts of Prussia, , and Italy, making him arguably the most powerful man in Europe. By 1811, Napoleon’s success began to fade. Forced to retreat in Borodino, Russia, a fourth and final coalition formed in 1813 in a last attempt to stop Napoleon’s advance. By early 1814 an invasion of France had begun and Napoleon was driven back by the Quadruple Alliance of Russia, Prussia, Austria, and Great Britain, who were also assisted by Portuguese and Spanish military.

+ Post Napoleonic France (Bourbon Restoration)

Following Napoleon’s defeat, the Bourbon Dynasty was reinstated and Louis XVIII became the new king with the help of Charles Maurice de Talleyrand7. He attempted to promote peace and support by granting amnesties to opponents and promising a constitutional monarchy. For a short time he left the throne upon the return of Napoleon

7 "France History - French Restoration." The French Restoration 1814 - 1848.

PAGE 5 BACKGROUND GUIDE Specialized // Congress of Vienna during what became known as the “”8. During this time, Napoleon left exile and marched upon . Trying to gain more popular support, he made a number of changes to the French Constitution. However, when Austrian, British, Prussian, and Russian forces allied against him once again, Napoleon fled for the second time, following the . Louis XVIII returned, and a French experiment in parliamentary government began.

+ The Congress of Vienna

The Congress: The Great Powers and Other States Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia had signed the Treaty of Chaumont9 in 1814 agreeing to defeat Napoleon. Following Napoleon’s defeat, The 1814 stipulated that a congress of the great powers of Europe were to meet in Vienna, Germany to negotiate peace and settle the future of Europe. Therefore the Congress of Vienna assembled from 1814-1815 with the overarching goal of reorganizing Europe after the Napoleonic Wars, a task that was deemed necessary after land disputes followed Napoleon’s retreat10. The European balance of power was in disarray at this time, having been greatly damaged by Napoleon’s regional domination. The countries hoped restoring a balance of power would prevent another situation where a single powerful country would be able to wield sole destructive influence. The goals of the four great powers all had something to do

8 The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Hundred Days." Encyclopædia Britannica. July 11, 2002. 9 The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "." Encyclopædia Britannica. February 11, 2016 10 "Congress of Vienna." Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Congress-of-Vienna.

PAGE 6 BACKGROUND GUIDE Specialized // Congress of Vienna with rebalancing power while simultaneously placing their country in the most advantageous position possible. Great Britain was especially interested in creating and maintaining a new balance of power. France’s defeat placed the country in a weakened position in relation to Britain. Obviously then Great Britain had a deep wish to prevent France from becoming too powerful and threatening their position. In contrast, Russia was hoping to gain a more powerful place in the balance of powers. Russia’s location made it a less centrally significant location, and until the Napoleonic Wars they were a less influential player in European politics compared to other countries such as Great Britain and France. Austria’s main concern was maintaining national security and preventing future invasion. Surrounded by potentially dangerous neighbors, Russia and Prussia, Austria hoped to guard against further attack and potentially acquire more territory to increase their power. Prussia’s goal was territorial gain, especially amongst German states, in a desire to take back the power and influence it lost to Napoleon11. Smaller powers including Spain, and also signed the Treaty of Paris and attended the Congress of Vienna. Spain and Portugal were both once powerful countries whose influence had dwindled even before the Age of Enlightenment. Being included in the Congress of Vienna offered both countries a chance to influence the future or Europe and insert themselves more forcefully as players in the balance of power. Sweden, meanwhile, had lost a significant amounts of land to Russia. Preventing Russia from gaining even more land and influence was in Sweden’s best interest. France, the defeated party, had of course signed the Treaty of Paris and was therefore included in the Congress stipulation. Originally the great powers hoped to exclude France from any serious negotiation12. However, the of Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand worked to move the French diplomatic position away from being seen as the defeated power

11 "Historical Background." Historical Background. http://1814congressofvienna.tripod.com/id12.html. 12 "Persuasion through Negotiation at the Congress of Vienna 1814-1815 | DiploFoundation." Persuasion through Negotiation at the Congress of Vienna 1814-1815

PAGE 7 BACKGROUND GUIDE Specialized // Congress of Vienna and into their former position as a European power13. While Talleyrand increased the negotiating powers of France, other delegates to the Congress of Vienna also represented France and made an effort to restore their once great nation, or sometimes personal wealth.

+ Topic 1: German Reorganization - Formation of a German Confederation

One such disputed territory was that of Germany. Prior to the , Germany was a loose group of states united by the weak governing of the . During Napoleon’s military campaign Germany was captured, and the Treaty of Luneville was established. The treaty worked to form German satellite states and redistributed German territory. The goal of such redistribution was to reduce the number of autonomous states while preventing the formation of a single state powerful enough to oppose France14. These sixteen German states were then organized into the Confederation of the Rhine, derived in part from areas which had previously been heavily influenced by Austria. During Napoleon’s rule, two types of German nationalisms emerged— conservative

13 "The Diplomacy of Talleyrand." The Diplomacy of Talleyrand Congress of Vienna. 14 "Treaty of Lunéville." Encyclopædia Britannica

PAGE 8 BACKGROUND GUIDE Specialized // Congress of Vienna nationalism and liberal nationalism. The former wanted to go back to pre-Napoleonic ways, while the latter was a more revolutionary movement that hoped for self-government and a unified German state. The reorganization of these German states became the responsibility of the Congress of Vienna.

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Topic 2: Ownership of Poland and Saxony

The question of Poland and Saxony was complicated by claims on the territory by Sweden, , and Russia. Additionally, the decisions made regarding German territory also have the potential to affect claims on the two areas. From 1772-1792, in what is considered the pre-Napoleonic Wars era, Russia, Austria, and Prussia divided Poland numerous times until it was incorporated into all three countries. During the time of Napoleon’s conquests, some areas of Poland fell under his control and were re-defined yet

PAGE 9 BACKGROUND GUIDE Specialized // Congress of Vienna again, this time as the of Warsaw15. Going into the Congress of Vienna, several countries including Russia, Austria, and Prussia were interested in acquiring Polish territory. However, by that point the people of Poland, similar to the people of Germany, were becoming increasingly nationalistic and interested in self-governance. Similar to the Duchy of , the was a Napoleonic state that Russia and Prussia considered strategically and territorially important during negotiation. States interested in controlling Poland and Saxony argued that they should maintain control of the areas, while other countries feared that allowing Poland and Saxony to be controlled by other nations would upset the balance of power.

15 The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "." Encyclopædia Britannica. July 28, 2010.

PAGE 10 BACKGROUND GUIDE Specialized // Congress of Vienna + Notes on the Committee

November 1st, 1814 is the official start date of our committee. Keep in mind that the outcomes of the actual Congress of Vienna do not (in fact, perhaps should not) be the decisions we reach in the committee. Each delegate’s goal should be to negotiate the most favorite position for the country they are representing.

+ References Maps16

Europe, 1792, Pre-Napoleon

16 Technology, Florida Center for Instructional. "Europe - Complete Maps." Europe - Complete Maps.

PAGE 11 BACKGROUND GUIDE Specialized // Congress of Vienna

Europe during the time of Napoleon’s Military Campaigns (1796-1815)

Europe Following the Congress of Vienna (1815)

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+ Useful Links

1. https://www.britannica.com/event/Congress-of-Vienna. 2. http://www.encyclopedia.com/history/modern-europe/treaties-and- alliances/congress-viennahttp://www.encyclopedia.com/history/modern- europe/treaties-and-alliances/congress-vienna 3. http://www.historytoday.com/stella-ghervas/what-was-congress- viennahttp://www.historytoday.com/stella-ghervas/what-was-congress-vienna 4. http://www.historytoday.com/stella-ghervas/what-was-congress-vienna 5. http://www.historytoday.com/stella-ghervas/what-was-congress-vienna + Bibliography

1. "Congress of Vienna." Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Congress-of-Vienna. 2. "Famous People of the Enlightenment -." Biography Online http://www.biographyonline.net/people/famous/enlightenment.html. 3. "France History - French Restoration." The French Restoration 1814 - 1848. http://www.bonjourlafrance.com/france-history/french-restoration.htm. 4. "Historical Background." Historical Background http://1814congressofvienna.tripod.com/id12.html. 5. History.com Staff. "Enlightenment." History.com. 2009. http://www.history.com/topics/enlightenment. 6. History.com Staff. "French Revolution." History.com. 2009. http://www.history.com/topics/french-revolution. 7. "Persuasion through Negotiation at the Congress of Vienna 1814-1815 | DiploFoundation." Persuasion through Negotiation at the Congress of Vienna 1814-

PAGE 13 BACKGROUND GUIDE Specialized // Congress of Vienna 1815 | DiploFoundation. https://www.diplomacy.edu/resources/general/persuasion- through-negotiation-congress-vienna-1814-1815. 8. Technology, Florida Center for Instructional. "Europe - Complete Maps." Europe - Complete Maps.http://etc.usf.edu/maps/galleries/europe/complete/index.php?pageNum_Rec ordset1=1. 9. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Duchy of Warsaw." Encyclopædia Britannica. July 28, 2010. Accessed January 12, 2017. https://www.britannica.com/place/Duchy-of-Warsaw. 10. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars." Encyclopædia Britannica. August 15, 2009. https://www.britannica.com/event/French-revolutionary-wars#ref171789. 11. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Hundred Days." Encyclopædia Britannica. July 11, 2002. https://www.britannica.com/event/Hundred-Days-French-history. 12. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Treaty of Chaumont." Encyclopædia Britannica. February 11, 2016. https://www.britannica.com/event/Treaty-of- Chaumont. 13. "Treaty of Lunéville." Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Treaty-of-Luneville. 14. Victoria, National Gallery of. "Napoleon: Revolution to Empire." Napoleon The Rise of Napoleon. http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/napoleon/revolution-to-empire/the-rise-of- napoleon.html. 15. "What Was the Congress of Vienna?" What Was the Congress of Vienna? | History Today. http://www.historytoday.com/stella-ghervas/what-was-congress-vienna. 16. "The Diplomacy of Talleyrand." The Diplomacy of Talleyrand Congress of Vienna. http://www.age-of-the-sage.org/historical/biography/talleyrand.html.

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