Prince Von Metternich
was an Austrian Aristocrat born on the 18th May 1773 at Cob Lenz in Rhineland
in Prussia
where his father was an Austrian ambassador. It was from this place that he
witnessed the events of the French revolution. He completed his studies in 1788
at Strasburg University
and was appointed an Austrian ambassador in France in 1807.
In 1809, he became a minister of foreign affairs and 1821;
he was made the chancellor of Austria
which he attained for over 40 years. He dominated European affairs as a pilot of
peace. The period between 1815 -1848, was referred to as “Metternich era” and
the system he used during this period was called “Metternich system”
METHOODS USED BY
METTERNICH TO CONTROL EUROPEAN AFFAIRS:
1. Strong Spy
network:
Metternich put in place a strong spy network to control all
liberal and nationalistic movements throughout Europe.
His spy network was entrenching in the army, police, civil servants, public
places and in strategic places like Hotels lodges, cinema halls and in schools.
His spy network was too strong that an Italian woman remarked, “My daughter can not sneeze, but Metternich will know of
it.”
2. Censorship of the
press:
Metternich also used censorship of the press and control of
communication to seal off the empire from liberal and nationalistic ideas. A
censor official was appointed at Vienna
to approve all books, news papers and publications. Especial office was set at Vienna for opening,
recording and sealing all foreignletters.through such network, Metternich was
able to control all forces of liberalism and nationalism.
3. He influences the
congress system:
He exploited the congress system and influenced European
affairs up to 1848. he was the chairman of the congress of Vienna
that mapped out strategies to suppress nationalism and liberalism in Europe. He was very active in the congress system between
1818-1825.through the congress system, Metternich was able to bring all
European powers into one thinking cup. This made him a coach man of Europe.
4. Control over
education:
Metternich controlled education system within the empire.
All professors, lecturers’ principles and teachers were made to take an oath of
allegiance to Metternich system. At all levels, education syllabus disregarded
liberal subjects like history, philosophy, psychology and literature. He went
further to prohibit liberal discussions, associations and seminars. This
enables Metternich to control all forms of liberalism and nationalism in Europe.
5. Church and state
relationship:
Metternich also maintained relationship between the church
and the state. He won the support of Bishops, priest and the Catholics was made
the states religion. He encouraged religious intolerance that won him support
from all Catholics within the empire. This was easy because most of the clergy
were anti liberal.
6. Use of force:
The use of force was applied by Metternich to control
European politics. whenever diplomacy and peaceful means failed; he applied
force against rebellions and suppressed them. The Carbonari and young Italian
movements were all crashed militarily by Metternich. The use of force
therefore, enables Metternich to control European affairs.
7. Influenced the German
Diet:
In German states, Metternich secured for Austria the post of the presidents
in the German diet( parliament. This was a vital post since he would veto the
decision on issues to be discussed and the protocol to be followed. Metternich
persuaded all the German state to limit the subject to be discussed in
parliament which also limited liberalism and nationalism in the parliament.
8. Carlsbad decree:
To suppress German nationalism that had climaxed into the
murder of Kotzbue, Metternich enacted Carlsbad
decree as a counter offensive. By its provision, students associations were
abolished and all German universities were to have government inspectors, a spy
network to monitor all the activities of lecturers and students.
9. Posting foreign
officers:
To check on the nationalistic movement, Metternich posted
foreign officers to administer foreign areas. E.g., Croatians were sent to Slovenia, Poles to Austria, and Italians to Germans.
Being foreigners, these officers offered the activities of nationalism
effectively. This explains why Austria
herself survived the 1830 revolutions in Europe:
10: Use of his own
eloquence:
Metternich was an orator, who used his speeches to convince
people, i.e., he was an eloquent who persuaded the Vienna peace makers and influenced them to
dance according to his tune. Some
historians believed that prince Metternich was born with a silver spoon in the
mouth because of his ability to change people’s minds using his own words.
ACHIEVEMENTS OF
METTERNICH (1815 – 1848)
Between 1815-1848, Metternich was so successful in European
affairs that this period had been described as “Metternich era” and he himself
was a coach man of Europe. Metternich himself
felt that the world was resting on his shoulder. He remarked “My position has this peculiarity that all eyes, all
expectations are directed to precisely that point where I happen to be”.
Metternich achieved a lot not only for Austria,
but for the rest of Europe between those
periods of time.
1. Downfall of Napoleon:
Metternich made a great contribution towards the downfall of
napoleon who had disorganized the whole continent of Europe. He influenced the
formation of the fourth coalition with other countries like retain, Russia and Prussia that led the defeat of
Napoleon at the battle of Leipzig and exiled him
at the Island of Elba. He also made Vienna to mobilize a
force of about 800,000 men that defeated Napoleon ta the battle of Waterloo
where he was imprisoned in the rocky Island of St Hellena where he died in
1821.
2. Admission of France
to the congress:
Metternich made France to be part of the congress system and
advocated for fair treatment of France after the defeat of Napoleon. He
persuaded European allies that the problem of Europe was not France but
Napoleon.