Question

Explain the Treaty of Vienna of 1815.

Answer 1

Hint: A treaty is a legally enforceable formal agreement, contract, or other written instrument that creates responsibilities between two or more international law subjects (primarily states and international organizations).

Complete answer:
After defeating Napoleon in 1815, the representatives of the European powers - Britain, Russia, Prussia, and Austria - hoped to create long-term peace and stability. As a result, they drafted the Treaty of Vienna in 1815 with the goal of erasing the majority of the changes brought about by Napoleon's wars and establishing a new conservative order in Europe.

The Treaty of Vienna in 1815 included the following provisions:
(i)the Bourbon dynasty was returned to power.
(ii) Under Napoleon, France lost the territories it had acquired.
(iii) To prevent further French expansion, a series of nations were established along France's borders.
(iv) In the north, Belgium was established, and in the south, Genoa was added to Piedmont.

After the treaty the Congress' goal was to give Europe a long-term peace plan by resolving important concerns originating from the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. The idea wasn't just to reestablish historical borders; it was also to downsize the major powers so that they could balance each other and maintain peace.

Note: Some key highlights of the treaty were:
- The treaty was duly signed on 25th April, 1815 and ratified by the British Parliament.
- The congress was presented by the Austrian Chancellor Duke Metternich.
- Other elements of the treaty included the creation of a long-term peace strategy for Europe.
- The German confederation of 39 states founded by Napoleon was spared.