Congress and balls

After the fall of Napoleon, the great European powers met in Vienna to redraw the political balance of the continent. The Congress of Vienna became famous for its lavish receptions, diplomatic intrigues and permanent negotiations conducted both in aristocratic salons and in official meetings.

The Congress of Vienna opened in 1814 in a context of general exhaustion after more than twenty years of revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. The main European powers seek to prevent the return of a continental imbalance comparable to that caused by the French expansion.Around the Austrian Chancellor Metternich are gathered diplomats, sovereigns and representatives from almost all of Europe. Among the major figures are also Talleyrand for France and Tsar Alexander I.The congress quickly became famous for its social atmosphere. Concerts, dinners and balls are held continuously in the Austrian capital. Several observers are ironic about the fact that "the congress dances but does not work". In reality, much of the diplomatic discussion takes place precisely in these informal spaces.The negotiations focus on extremely sensitive territorial issues: the future of Poland, control of the German states, Italian equilibrium or the status of France after Napoleon. Despite significant rivalries between powers, diplomats are gradually succeeding in establishing a relatively stable new European order. The system resulting from the Vienna Congress had a lasting influence on European diplomacy in the nineteenth century and helped to limit the majorcontinental conflicts for several decades.