What were the Main Problems before the Congress after Napoleon Bonaparte?

Napoleon Bonaparte, the Emperor of France, was disastrously defeated in the famous battle of Waterloo on 18 June 1815. He was sent to a rock in South Atlantic, the island of St. Helena, where he died in 1821.

The downfall of Napoleon brought into its train some complicated and difficult problems. Almost all the nations of Europe were profoundly affected by those problems.

So, a conference of the heads of the European countries was held at Vienna, the capital of Austria in 1815. This conference is known as the Congress of Vienna in the history of Europe.

Kings, Prime Ministers and statesmen from different countries took part in this congress. Prince Metternich acted as the Convener of the congress and made adequate arrangements for the guests in order to make the task less boring.

Music, dance and banquets added to the gaiety and splendor of Vienna during the period of the congress of Vienna. Austria being the chief victim of the Napoleonic wars was elected to be the venue of the congress.

Moreover, Metternich, the Chancellor of Austria played a prominent role in the defeat of Napoleon, hence was offered the pride post, of convener.

The overthrow of Napoleon Bonaparte brought with it a lot of problems and difficulties. The important of these were as follows:

1. Reconstruction of Europe:

Napoleon had changed the map of Europe to a large extent. Consequently, the political situation of the European states was also changed.

Some states like Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, the Grand Duchy of Warsaw, the states of Italy and Germany had become more powerful, while some big countries like Russia, Austria had either been absorbed or incorporated by Napoleon into his empire.

Thus, the reconstruction of Europe and the reorganisation of the Napoleonic Empire was the main problem which was to be tackled by the diplomats of the Vienna Congress. C. D. Hazen, an eminent historian, has rightly remarked:

“As all the nations of Europe had been profoundly affected by his enterprises, so all were profoundly affected by his fall. The destruction of the Napoleonic regime must be followed by the reconstruction of Europe. This work of reconstruction was undertaken by the Congress of Vienna.”

2. The Church:

Before the outbreak of the French Revolution, the Pope had occupied a dominant place in the field of religion. Not only the people but also the kings and emperors of the European countries to obey the orders of the Pope.

He was the supreme authority to decide the religious disputes. For this purpose, the inquisition courts had set up in almost all the countries of Europe. But these circumstances changed in 1789 when the leaders of the French Revolution confiscated the property; of the Church and sold it to the farmers and the common people.

The National Assembly had declared the Civil Constitution of Clergy. This constitution had reduced the powers of the Clergy. Thus, the Church became an ordinary institution under the state.

Napoleon Bonaparte had arrested the Pope and his territory was absorbed in Napoleonic Empire. In this way, the Pope lost his traditional established dignity and the Church became an obligatory institution of the state.

With the downfall of Napoleon in the battle of Waterloo, problem of the Church and the Pope arose. The diplomats of the Vie Congress were very much inclined to re-establish the dignity of the Pope and the authority of the Church. This problem was a complicated one that the representatives at the Vienna Conference had to face.

3. Suppression of the Revolutionary Feelings:

The French Revolution of 1789 gave a new message of liberty, equality and fraternity to people of the European countries.

These revolutionary feelings quite active in the continent even after the overthrow of Napoleon, the diplomats of the Vienna Congress had firmly determined reconstruct the political system of Europe as it existed before 1789, it essential for them to suppress these revolutionary feelings.

They were of the opinion that the revolutionary feelings were like a contagious disease. So the suppression of these feelings was also an intricate problem to deal with.