Age of Metternich

Ms. Pugh

Age of Metternich

Dominated by “conservatism” Wanted Europe to forget about Napoleon, the French

Revolution, and the Enlightenment Wanted to achieve a “balance of power” in Europe

Power between Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, Russia, and France

Wanted “legitimacy” to return rightful monarchs or their heirs to their thrones

Edmund Burke’s Reflections on the Revolutions in France spread conservative ideas throughout Europe

1815 Europe

Liberalism

Metternich wanted conservatism Liberalism was dominant among the

commoners who didn’t benefit from noble privilege

Liberalism was defined by freedoms – freedom of speech, religion, and the press

Liberalism stressed constitutional monarchies Liberalism stressed meritocracy – value in

what you achieve, not who you were born to

Utilitarianism

The greatest good for the greatest number. Normally associated with liberalism – the greatest

numbers were non-nobles Jeremy Bentham – father of Said government should only interfere in people’s

lives to bring order and harmony John Stuart Mill said the role of the government is to

help people achieve happiness Mill’s On Liberty and On the Subjection of Women

outlined utilitarianism and feminism

Nationalism

Hotbeds were in Ottoman Empire and Austrian Empire

Leads to unification of Germany and Italy Glorified the past and culture of unified

groups

England in the Age of Metternich

Rights of commoners actually is expanded 1815 Parliament only elected by wealthy 1820s – labor unions legalized Chartist Movement (People’s Charter) wanted

expanded voting rights 1832 – Great Reform Bill – allowed 50% more

people to vote; redrew district boundaries 1846 – Repeal of the Corn Laws

More on England

In 1866 – Whig party (liberal) Prime Minister William Gladstone attempted to expand voter registration.

In 1867 – Tory Party (Conservative Party) Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. 2nd Reform Bill = gives right to vote to workers.

Back to England

At the turn of the century Great Britain’s laws laid down the foundation of the social welfare state (but first programs started in Germany)

All citizens guaranteed a free public education -- compulsory

Unions were legalized Secret ballots (Australian) Government workers insurance Unemployment insurance Old age pensions End of child labor; safety regulations in factories

Review English Eras

Magna Carta – King has to follow the law

War of the Roses – leads to Parliament supported a new king

Henry VIII – religious upheaval – power of the monarch

Elizabeth – relied upon Parliament for support

James I – absolutist Charles I – English Civil

War; Parliament overthrows monarch

Charles II returns – at the request of Parliament

Glorious Revolution – Parliament invites William and Mary to return

Bill of Rights – habeas corpus and freedom of speech

Prime Minister gains power during the reign of Queen Victoria

France in the Age of Metternich

Louis XVIII was the king – granted a new constitution

Charles X was a reactionary and make people mad

1830 – July Revolution – Charles overthrown Louis Philippe chosen as king of “the French” Louis had problems with workers – constant

uprisings

Back to France

Began the Revolutions of 1848 July Revolution of 1830 was against Charles X Louis Phillip replaced Charles and gave a voice to the

“bourgeoisie” but no one represented the proletariat (workers)

February, 1848 Louis Phillip abdicates and a new legislature is elected – dominated by conservatives – riots break out between the government and the workers

Universal male suffrage approved and a constitution that set up a one house legislature and had a strong president.

Napoleon Again

Louis Napoleon Bonaparte was elected president of the Second Republic (1st Republic was during the French Revolution)

Goals: law and order; eradication of socialism and radicalism; adherence to conservative groups: Church, army, property owners and business.

1852 declares himself Emperor Napoleon III Internal improvements – highways, canals, railroad

construction Subsidized industry allowed organized unions Everyone was doing well – Liberal Empire – eased censorship and granted

amnesty to political prisioners

Mexican Empire

Napoleon sets up an “Emperor of Mexico” – a Hapsburg cousin who was to answer to Napoleon – the Mexicans kill him and the United States is outraged at the violation of the Monroe Doctrine

Crimean War (1854-1856)

French and English went to war to prevent the Russians from establishing dominance over Ottoman possessions

Ended the peace set up after the Congress of Vienna

Franco-Prussian War (1870)

Was the last war of Prussian/German unification

Napoleon surrendered rather than let the Prussian army invade Paris; Napoleon is taken captive and France declares the Third Republic

Third Republic

Controlled by monarchists and the bourgeoisie Counter radical government was set up – Paris

Commune (where have we heard of this before?) 1875 – Chamber of Deputies – set up – foundation of

French government until WWII when so many parties kept leading to its downfall

1894 – Dreyfus Affair embarrassed France; Dreyfus was a Jewish military officer who was convicted of espionage; Emile Zola was a writer who “broke” the story that there was no evidence – anti-Semitism led to arrest and conviction

Let’s Review Major French Eras War of the Three Henrys

Religious toleration Bourbons vs. Hapsburgs

Age of Absolutism Louis XIV – Sun King Wars of Louis XIV Bourbons expand into Spain Great Debt

Enlightenment Radical ideas that change the world Participate in American Revolution

Revolution Starts off as moderate – wanted a

Constitutional monarchy Becomes radical – Reign of Terror Paris mainly radical Wars with others

Napoleon Military hero Spread enlightenment ideas across

Europe – not always enlightened himself

Monarchy Part II Louis XVIII – constitution that benefited

bourgeois and nobles Charles X – wanted to return to

absolute power – abdicates in face of rebellion

Louis Phillip – citizen king; benefits bourgeoisie but not workers

Workers rebel Second Republic

Voting rights to men Napoleon III

Same as uncle – pretty enlightened, but wants total power

Loses for military reasons (sound familiar)

Third Republic Sets up a true democracy

Russia in the Age of Metternich

Alexander I was the Tzar Younger people had been influenced by

Enlightenment – students Nicholas I became Tzar in 1825 Decembrist Revolt -- young army officers wanted a

constitutional monarchy Many were executed Nicholas became very reactionary and repressive Created the Third Section – secret police Nicholas put down revolts in Poland but aided

revolutionaries in Greece (why?)

Russia

Alexander I extended the reforms of Catherine the Great

Freedom of Jews in empire When Napoleon invaded Alexander ordered

statewide censorship and required membership in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Nicholas I takes over when Alexander dies – Decembrist Revolt was led by military soldiers. Created Third Section.

Orthodoxy, Autocracy, Nationality

Russia

Alexander II began as a reformer and ended as a reactionary.

Emancipated the serfs in 1861, but required them to pay for their freedom.

Polish Revolt led to autocracy – killed by militants called Narodniks who were socialists. (1866)

Industrialization had taken place under Alexander and a Trans-Siberian Railroad was important in Russia’s economic development.

German States

The Holy Roman Empire was ended by Napoleon. Remember various princes controlled German states

and the Hapsburgs controlled Austria. The Congress of Vienna set up the Germanic

Confederation to deal with similar German state problems.

Burschenschafts were radical student organizations who wanted a unified German state led by a constitution. They organized national conventions.

Carlsbad Decrees outlawed the Buschenschafts, censored materials that advocated unification, and set up secret police in universities (started by Metternich).

Prussia

Zollverein – was an economic union of German states. Economic unity…

Prussia (Frederick William IV) dealt quickly with revolutionary activity by calling a legislative assembly rather than the military (why was this a good idea?).

1850 Prussia set up a constitution that established a House of Representatives elected by universal male suffrage.

Frankfurt Assembly

Met outside the “legal” authority of Prussia. Set up a plan for future union of Germany. Greater Germany wanted German and

Austrian unification. Lesser Germany wanted to exclude Austria. Offered the crown of “Germany” to Frederick

William IV – he declined. Advisor Bismarck said if someone gives you

something it can be taken away – take it through “blood and iron.”

Austria

Ethnic mix of Austria included Germans, Hungarians, Slavs, Czechs, Italians, Serbs, Croats, and others.

Led to Revolutions of 1848. Louis Kossuth – Hungarian nationalist aroused

separatist sentiments. Rioting in Vienna led to Metternich having to flee

Austria. Prague Conference was called by the Czechs (like

the Frankfurt Conference) wanted Austroslavism where the slavs would had some autonomy from the Austrians (but remain in the empire).

Those who tried to rebel were suppressed by the Hapsburgs.

Franz Joseph (1848-1916)

Very conservative Suppressed all opposition Saw the Revolutions of 1848 collapse

because of ethnic conflicts – not a bad thing for him!

Liberalism Redefined

Liberalism started as laissez-faire economics, freedom of speech, press, and religion

Beginning of 20th century – expanded suffrage and improve living conditions for all citizens

Unions were legalized Government education for all End of child labor Pensions for the elderly Medical insurance for all Universal suffrage achieved

German Unification

The Zollverein set up the foundations of a unified economic state. Political unification wasn’t far off.

Prussian Hohenzollerns looked to be the leading contenders for created a German empire.

Austrian Hapsburgs were not so sure.

German States

Bismarck’s Realpolitik

Otto von Bismarck was a Junker (landowning noble) who was willing to battle Parliament

Collected taxes without the approval of Parliament, enlarged the army, and killed democracy in Prussia.

Unified Germany through war and power: Danish-Prussian War – all-German war

against Denmark over Denmark’s desire for Schleswig – Denmark defeated by Germans, included Austria

Austro-Prussian War (7 Weeks War) of 1866 Prussia was superior in arms, training, and

leadership Austria chose not to interfere with Bismarck’s

plans anymore

North German Confederation

1867 the North German Confederation was established to replace the German Confederation

21 States united under Prussia 2 House Legislature – Reichstag (lower

house) and Bundesrat (upper house)

Franco-Prussian War

Technically a disagreement over the Spanish throne – series of diplomatic correspondents between Prussia and France

EMS Dispatch was reworded to sound like Napoleon III was insulted William I

Napoleon III declared war on Prussia in July of 1870. In four months, the Prussian army had defeated the

French and taken Napoleon prisoner. France lost Alsace-Lorraine. Baden, Bavaria, Hesse, and Wurttemberg – joined

the Confederation and King William became the Keiser of all the Germans (except Austria)

Bismarck as Chancellor

Kulturkampf (cultural conflicts) repressed Catholics and socialists in the German states.

To counter appeal of the socialists, Bismarck sponsored some “reforms” of his own – the first in Europe: Workman’s

Compensation Old-age pensions Medical assistance

Unification of Italy

Italy had unified somewhat since the Italian City-States of the 15th and 16th centuries.

Kingdom of Naples (Two Sicilies) was made up of Sicily and the southern part of Italy.

The Papal States included Rome and the middle of Italy. Lombardy-Venetia was the northern part of Italy and was

ruled by Austria (Tuscany, Lucca, Modena, and Parma). Kingdom of Sardinia (Piedmont-Sardinia) included the

northwestern provinces of Nice, Savoy, and Piedmont.

Italy

Sardinia Was ruled by a constitutional

monarchy led by Victor Emmanuel II.

Camillo di Cavour became prime minister during the Revolutions of 1848.

Rejected the idea of a “family” destined to be united by divine intervention (idea of Mazzini) and decided that Italy had to be united by force.

Cavour reformed Sardinia by weakening the power of the papacy, investing in public works (railroads and harbors), abolishing internal tariffs (another economic unification), encouraging industry, emancipating the peasants tied to land, and highlighting “constitutional” powers.

Unification

Cavour got Napoleon III to support a Sardinia war against Austria. France would get Nice and Savoy in exchange.

1859 Austria declared war on Sardinia and the French fought for Cavour. (Napoleon left early to deal with Prussia).

Garibaldi took over the military forces and his Red Shirts.

March, 1861 the Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed with Victor Emmanuel II as the ruler.

1870 the Papal states (excluding Vatican) were incorporated into the Kingdom of Italy.