Congress of Vienna

On the Congress of Vienna (November 1814 – June 1815) the numerous taking part international locations had very one of a kind and conflicting goals. Tsar Alexander of Russia had predicted to take in a lot of Poland and to depart a Polish puppet kingdom, the Duchy of Warsaw, as a buffer against similarly invasion from Europe.

The renewed Prussian kingdom demanded all of the country of Saxony. Austria desired to permit neither of this stuff, even as it predicted to regain manage of northern Italy. Castlereagh, of the UK, supported France (represented by Talleyrand) and Austria and became at variance along with his personal Parliament. This almost triggered a struggle to interrupt out, whilst the Tsar talked about to Castlereagh that Russia had 450,000 guys near Poland and Saxony and he turned into welcome to attempt to eliminate them. certainly, Alexander said "I will be the King of Poland and the King of Prussia could be the King of Saxony". Castlereagh approached King Frederick William III of Prussia to offer him British and Austrian help for Prussia's annexation of Saxony in return for Prussia's aid of an unbiased Poland.

The Prussian king repeated this offer in public, offending Alexander so deeply that he challenged Metternich of Austria to a duel. simplest the intervention of the Austrian crown stopped it.

A breach among the high-quality Powers turned into avoided when contributors of britain's Parliament sent phrase to the Russian ambassador that Castlereagh had surpassed his authority, and Britain would now not help an impartial Poland. The affair left Prussia deeply suspicious of any British involvement.