The Congress of Vienna

Klemens Von Metternich was an integral member of the congress of Vienna. He was the representative from Austria, and because the congress took place in Austria, he had great control over the proceedings.

Klemens Von Metternich

The congress decided upon four important ideas: a balance of power, the principle of legitimacy, the holy alliance, and the principle of intervention. The principle of intervention was agreed upon by all countries present except England. This principle meant that if a revolution was ever to begin in any country, then the armies of the other countries in the alliance would help them to put down the rebellion and restore order. The members of the congress of Vienna recognized that war was bad not only for their own countries, but that it also caused instability in all surrounding countries. The revolutions that were prevented or stopped were often intended to remove the monarch, and this was against the intentions of the congress of Vienna, so the monarch was reinstated after the rebellion was crushed. Not all rebellions that occurred were stopped before damage was done, in 1848 a revolution occurred in Vienna and caused Metternich himself to be rousted from power. This principle of intervention pleased all of the rulers because it helped them retain power and keep a stable society. The congress of Vienna resulted in many new rules that benefited the peace of Europe, and the well-being of the aristocracy. However, in many cases, the people were not given a constitutional monarch, so they still had no say in government.