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Fourth History Test: How far did the Vienna Settlement contribute to maintaining the peace in Europe in the period 1815-1914? The Vienna Settlement refers to a series of agreements made by the European powers at the Congress of Vienna in 1815. As the peace terms with France had already been decided by the Treaty of Paris (signed earlier on May 30, 1814), the Congress of Vienna was mainly concerned with solving the problems brought about by the Napoleonic wars. To solve these problems, the four European powers reached certain agreements at the Congress of Vienna on June 9, 1815. These settlements, consisting of both territorial and political ones, were commonly known as the Vienna Settlement. There were many factors contributing to maintaining of the peace of Europe in the period 1815-1914. One of them was the Vienna Settlement. However, there were other factors as well, for example the Congress System. To decide the extent the Vienna Settlement contributing to keeping European peace during 1815-1914, we have to find out which one of the above factors could remove the threat to peace sustainably. The more successful, the larger the extent, and vice versa. Not the entire Vienna Settlement contributing to maintaining of the peace of Europe in the period 1815-1914. Only those settlements relating to building the arc of containment around France, and to building an effective balance of power in Europe helped to keep peace of the time. To begin, the European powers built an arc of buffer states on the eastern borders of France at the Congress of Vienna. First, they joined Belgium with the Netherlands to form a new Kingdom known as the Kingdom of the United Netherlands. Then, they gave Prussia the Rhineland --- the land adjacent to the eastern borders of France. Finally, they strengthened the southeastern border state of France, Piedmont, by giving her two French provinces of Savoy and Nice. In building stronger buffer states along Frances eastern borders, the powers ensured that France would not be able to expand towards the northeast, east and southeast. By shutting off France through these stronger buffer states, the Vienna Settlement helped to maintain European peace during 1815-1914. The part of settlements made at Vienna relating to balance of power also helped to give 100 years of peace to Europe. France attacked other European states during 1795-1815 since she was comparatively stronger than any other European powers. The powers believed that if each was as strong as one another, no power would dare to start wars, and there would be peace. Accordingly, the powers took away all land conquered by Napoleon; they gave Russia most of Poland and Finland; Prussia, half of Saxony, parts of Poland and the Rhineland; Austria, the land it had lost during the Napoleonic period and the land on the Italian peninsula and the Balkans; and Britain, the Cape Colony, South Africa, Malta and various other colonies in Africa and Asia. As a result, Russia became strongest in Eastern Europe. In Central Europe, there saw the rise of Austria and Prussia. In Western Europe, France was weakened. A balance of power was kept. In this way, the Vienna Settlement relating to the balance of power kept the peace of Europe during 1815-1914. Other than the Vienna Settlement of 1815, the Congress System also explains why there was peace in Europe during 1815-1914. Its origin dated back to the Quadruple Alliance. Britain, Austria, Russia and Prussia signed this alliance in November 1815 to uphold the Vienna Settlement for a period of 20 years; and to hold regular meetings to solve problems of common concern. This last agreement gave rise to the Congress System --- a way by which the powers solved problems by peaceful means. The powers called four meetings in the name of
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the Quadruple Alliance during 1818-22. Among these meetings, the Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle contributed to peace. At this congress, the powers agreed to withdraw the army of occupation from France and to admit France into the Quadruple Alliance. The former agreement removed French hostility against the powers; while the latter showed that the Quadruple Alliance was not directed against France. Both improved Frances relations with other powers, and France was longer a threat to peace. In these ways, the Congress System helped to keep peace. According to the analysis above, there were at least two factors which helped to keep the peace of Europe in the period 1815-1914 --- the Vienna Settlement and the Congress System. Undoubtedly, the parts of the settlements made at Vienna in 1815 relating to encircle France with stronger buffer states and to build a balance of power in Europe contributed to peace. On the other hand, the Congress System also gave peace to Europe by removing any excuse from France to start a war of revenge on her former enemies. Which one between these two was a more important one? As the Vienna Settlement not only stopped France from future aggression, but it also provided Europe with a more sustainable peace by creating an effective balance of power in Europe. In other words, the Vienna Settlement removed two possible threats to peace --- France and any one single power which would turn aggressive. No doubt the Vienna Settlement contributed to maintaining the peace of Europe in the period 1815-1914 to a large extent. (868 words)