Klemens Wenzel von Metternich

Fürst Klemens Wenzel Nepomuk Lothar von Metternich (May 15, 1773 - June 11, 1858) (sometimes renderedEnglish as Prince Clemens Metternich) was an Austrian politicianstatesmanperhapsmost important diplomathis era.

Metternich was bornCoblenz into minor Westphalian nobility,onehis earliest diplomatic coups wasmarrygranddaughter ofpowerfulwealthy Austrian chancellor Count Wenzel von Kaunitz1795. His diplomatic skills soon won him posts as ambassadorBerlin, then1806Paris.

Following Austria's disastrous defeat by Napoleon1809, Metternich was made Austria's Foreign Minister, replacing Johann Philipp von Stadion,pursuedpro-French policy, going so far asengineermarriageNapoleonMarie-Louise, Emperor Francis's daughter.

Following Napoleon's defeatRussia1812, Metternich turned topolicyneutrality,attemptedmediatepeace between Napoleonhis RussianPrussian enemies. In June 1813 he famously metNapoleon at Dresden,by his own account came away tellingintransigent Emperor that he was lost. Soon after, mediation having failed, Metternich brought Austria intowar against France.

Aswar came towards its conclusion inspring1814, Metternich quickly came toconclusion that no peaceNapoleon was possible,abandoning ideas ofBonapartist regency under Marie Louise, camesupportBourbon restoration, which brought him closerCastlereagh,British Foreign Secretary.

Metternich was one ofprincipal negotiators atCongressVienna. During this period, Metternich camehavebitter personal enmityTsar Alexander IRussia, whose Polish plans Metternich deeply feared,who competed withwomanizing Metternich foraffections ofbeautiful Wilhelmina von Sagan. Metternich's attemptsformunited frontCastlereaghHardenberg,Prussian chancellor,oppose Alexander's plans forconstitutional KingdomPoland under his own rule, camenothing duePrussia's unwillingnessstand upAlexander. Metternich then shockedPrussians by signing an allianceCastlereaghTalleyrand,French envoy, on January 3, 1815,prevent Prussian annexationSaxony, which wasbe Prussia's compensationgiving up Polish landAlexander. While this was successfulsavingKingSaxony, Alexander managedget mostwhat he wantedPoland.

Atsame time, Metternich worked hardnegotiationsPrussia, Hanover, Bavaria,WürttembergresolveorganizationGermany, andGermanic Confederation (Deutscher Bund) that resulted bore much ofstampMetternich's ideas.

Metternich's most notable achievement inyears that followedCongress was his conversion ofTsar, who had seen himself asprotectorliberalism, toprotection ofold order, which culminated byTsar's decision atCongressTroppau1820, whenTsar assentedMetternich's suppression ofNeapolitan rebellionrefusedaid Greek rebels againstOttoman Empire.

Oversucceeding decades, Metternich camebe seen asreactionary protector ofrightsKingssEmperorsthis erarising democratic sentiment,hadfree handconductingAustrian Empire's foreign affairssome 30 years, especially after Emperor Francis's death1835, when his feeble-minded son Ferdinand tookthrone.

The Revolutions1848, however, markedendhis rule, as mobsVienna demanded his resignationMarch. Metternichhis third wife hadfleecountry, althoughreturned three years later,Metternich, although never resuming office, becameclose personal advisorEmperor Franz Joseph. He diedVienna.

Considered an unreliable liaran amatory dilettante by manyhis contemporaries, Metternich has earnedadmirationsucceeding generationshis deft managementforeign policy, although his reactionary domestic policies still remain controversial.