Balance of Power at Vienna: how was this idea perceived by the European Powers? A perspective of the Historical Actors

This master thesis examines the concept of the balance of power during the Congress of Vienna (1814-1815). The ideas outlined by the balance of power played a significant role during the negotiations in Vienna, aiming to create a peaceful and stable Europe to prevent future conflicts. This thesis focuses on the key figures who represented the Great European Powers. These were Viscount Castlereagh from Britain, Klemens von Metternich from Austria, Emperor Alexander I from Russia, Karl August von Hardenberg from Prussia, and Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand from France. Initially, France was not welcome at the ‘Inner Circle’ of Vienna, but after many conversations led by Castlereagh and Metternich, France was eventually given a seat at the table. The actors came to Vienna with their goals and motivations to empower during the meetings but overcame their differences. The thesis explores the actor’s goals and examines how they perceived the idea of balance of power and how this played a role during the Congress of Vienna. To define this concept, it explores different variants of it and provides an overview. Furthermore, this thesis argues that the social dimension of Vienna, such as the city itself, the people, and the interactions among the actors and others, played a crucial role in the outcome of this settlement. The common people perceived Vienna as a spiritual and significant event and had high expectations for the conference’s success. The actors were often worshipped to make this happen. This recognition helped the ‘Inner Circle’ to understand that peace and cooperation were necessary to create a new stable order, which was vital to prevent future wars and domestic revolutions. Although the term ‘balance of power’ was not explicitly mentioned, it influenced how the actors in Vienna looked at the future of Europe, leading to the creation of a new order based on alliances and strong nation-states to counterbalance one another.