Unit 5 Part 2 - Conflict, Crisis, & Reaction in the late 18th Century

Klemens von Metternich

Austria's long-ruling foreign minister starting in 1809

- Chief architect of the Congress of Vienna

- alarmed by French Revolution and Napoleon's rise

- opposed liberalism and believed it would weaken Europe through expensive revolutions and wars

- believed in strong centralized power in the hands of a monarch

-proponent of conservatism

Congress of Vienna

Meeting of delegates from various European nations in 1814-1815 following the defeat of Napoleon

- led by Metternich

- aimed to promote a balance of power between European nations, end centuries of war/conflict, and preserve monarchs' powers using the principles of conservatism

Outcome of the Congress of Vienna

- France lost all territory it had gained under Napoleon and a Bourbon monarch (Louis XVIII) was restored to the throne

- German Confederation (alliance of 39 German states led by Austria) replaced HRE

- Prussia gained territory

- Russia gained most of Poland

- Creation of "Concert of Europe"

Conservatism

a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability

- emphasis on traditional sources of authority (monarchy, organized religion, and military)

- hesitant to give power to common people

- social change should happen slowly

- famous conservatives: Klemens von Metternich and Edmund Burke

Edmund Burke

British conservative leader and "father of modern conservatism"

- deeply troubled by aroused spirit of reform in France

- defended inherited privileges (hereditary monarchical and nobility titles)

- predicted reform would lead to chaos and tyranny

- agreed with Locke's social contract ideas but favored limited monarchy instead of true democracy

Concert of Europe (Congress System)

Balance of power created by the Congress of Vienna

- ensured that no state was strong enough to dominate another

- intended to restore legitimacy to each nation's throne

- protected the right of monarchies to rule, the rights of landed aristocrats, the need for organized religion, and an intolerance towards liberal ideas/movements

- created continental peace that existed until WWI

Bourbon Restoration

Period where the monarchy was restored in France following the fall of Napoleon

- Bourbon family returns to the throne with Louis XVIII, the brother of guillotined Louis XVI

- limited monarchy restrained by a constitution

- Bourbon rule ended after Charles X attempted to reimpose absolute monarchy, leading to the Revolution of 1830 (July Revolution)

Nationalism

Strong feeling of pride in and devotion towards one's country

- cultural revival and celebration of local traditions - celebrating what makes someone French, German, Austrian, Hungarian, Polish, etc.

- stirred by Napoleon's conquest of Europe and led to many revolutions for independence throughout Europe in the 1800s

Romanticism

19th century artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that appealed to emotion rather than reason

- popular from early to mid 1800s

- backlash to the "cold" Enlightenment emphasis on logic and reason and response to despair of industrialization

- avoided politics and science (Enlightenment) and favored art, music, and literature

- encouraged introspection

- values: nature, innocence, emotion, religion, nostalgia, nationalism

Romantic Art

Depicted less-tangible subjects like emotion, nature, and individuality

- passionate and dramatic and emotional

- focus on heroic subject matters

- intense colors and loose brush strokes

- many landscape paintings: mysterious landscapes/seascapes and countrysides

- famous painters: Francisco Goya (Spanish painter who depicted nostalgic, heroic, and nationalist historic conflicts) and Eugene Delacroix (French painter whose work reflected liberty and equality)

Romantic Music

Romantic composers broke from classical artistic forms to emphasize emotion, nature, individuality, intuition, the supernatural, and nationalism in their works.

- ex. Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) - used dramatic changes in pitch and volume

- ex. Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) - wrote ballets such as The Nutcracker and Swan Lake as well as symphonies that were influenced by national pride (1812 Overture was a tribute to Russian bravery against Napoleon)

Romantic Literature

Writers emphasized emotions (like apprehension and horror), nature & the natural world, supernatural themes, and cultural nationalism

- ex. Victor Hugo - French author of "Les Miserables" that provided a sympathetic, dramatic, and emotional account of the French poor

- ex. Mary Shelley - British author of "Frankenstein", which explored supernatural and emotional themes