The Congress of Vienna

From September 1814 to June 1815 the victorious powers met at the Congress of Vienna to rebuild Europe after Napoleon. Austria's Metternich, Britain's Castlereagh, Russia's Alexander I and Prussia's Hardenberg led the talks, and France's Talleyrand skilfully won a place for defeated France. The settlement aimed at a balance of power and the principle of 'legitimacy', restoring many pre-revolutionary rulers. France was returned to roughly its 1790 borders after the Hundred Days.

Belgium was joined to the Netherlands, Prussia gained Rhineland territory, a German Confederation of 39 states replaced the Holy Roman Empire, and Russia gained most of Poland. The Congress also declared the slave trade contrary to humanity, though without enforcement. Some historians praise it for preventing a general European war for about a century; others criticise it for ignoring liberal and national aspirations, which erupted in later revolutions.