Book Review

Vienna 1814:  How the conquerors of Napoleon made Love, War and Peace at the Congress of Vienna. By David King

Reviewed by Peter W. Kandianis

Author David King has written a new book about a subject often dismissed as little more than the antecedent to Napoleon’s 100 days campaign. Most books written on this topic were written years ago and with a predictable bent. Mr. King’s book is both an objective and easily readable book on this subject. He writes in modern English and intersperses interesting historical anecdotes with the nuts-and- bolts diplomatic maneuvers of the nations through their diplomatic representatives.

In the past, the premise behind Congress of Vienna books is as follows:

It is predictable stuff and even when well written follows about the same general template. The diplomats are portrayed as tireless heroes and the Congress portrayed as a model of the high-minded pursuit of a bloodless peace.

On the 200^th anniversary of the battle of Trafalgar, it was disappointing to find a number of the books written on that subject merely used material readily available from secondary sources. So, with regard to historical accuracy, I was impressed with Mr. King’s diligence shown through the use of original source materials.

Mr. King travelled throughout Europe, and actually spoke with the librarians and archivists in the nations which participated in the Congress. His list of notes and sources is nearly 100 pages in length. This produces a picture of the Congress which is developed not just from the official records and notes of the participants, but from the equally important inhabitants of the salons and the shadows. Mr. King makes copious use of the surreptitious communication between the Duchess Sagan and Prince Metternich (discovered in 1949) and the notes of one of Metternich’s assistants. Most notable however, are previously unpublished accounts of the police spy network set up by the Austrian Emperor Francis.

All of this information could make a narrative of the Congress over-laden with minutiae and prone to drone on and on with endless details of interest only to those wishing to serve in the diplomatic corps. Here, Mr. King diverges from the common narrative and interjects humor and contemporary observations that lighten the mood and facilitate the absorption of the salient facts. It is not often one can laugh out loud while reading about the Congress of Vienna, but Mr. King described the personal dressing regime of Talleyrand in a manner that was truly hilarious. He related descriptions of the participants and their personal idiosyncrasies (Metternich confused "haughtiness for dignity"), and he provides some insights that really add to the already established portraits of the participants. Nonetheless, this is a serious work. He is exacting in his detail and uses established historical facts to refute some popularly held assumptions.

What is in this book for the enthusiast of Napoleon? For one thing there is balance that is unfortunately too rare in supposedly evenhanded accounts of the Congress. Typically, either the flaws of Napoleon Bonaparte are dwelt upon to the near exclusion of his accomplishments and talents or he is lionized. All too often Napoleon is given only blame and never credit. It is Mr. King’s balanced portrait of both Napoleon and the Congress which is most admirable.

The common slurs of "Corsican Ogre" and the "plunderer of Europe" etc. do appear, but these are early in the book when Napoleon was exiled from the continent and presumed to have been vanquished. The members of the Congress "dined on his china" and divided his empire. It was the mood of the time prior to the 100 Days. When the account of the 100 Days begins, Mr. Kings switched to a tone more cognizant of the amazing feat the Emperor accomplished with his return to power. He gives the Emperor his just blame, but his due praise as well.

Mr. King took the time to point out the grand civic improvements Napoleon had intended for Elba and the fact that his first treaty of abdication never actually required him to remain on Elba. He portrays with sympathy the struggles of the Emperor forcibly kept apart from his wife and son. Furthermore, Mr. King clearly states the absolute duty, unfulfilled by the Bourbons, to pay Napoleon an endowment so he could sustain himself on Elba. He explored the deep distrust and enmity expressed toward the Bourbons by Europe’s diplomats and rightly exposed the Bourbon’s popular support as being broad but shallow. (The title of my review is a quote from Castlereagh and the title of one of the book’s chapters.) This is almost always given only a passing reference by many historians who spend too much time editorializing.

Many authors have overlooked the rank duplicity and avarice of the participants of the Congress. Historians are too often eager to heap praise on the first world body to gather in the name of peace; to give credit for the intent. Mr. King does not let the Congress participants off so easily. He allows the reader to form the impression that the aims of members of the Congress were no different than those of the Emperor. They divided up the continent as they saw fit. Instead of the use of armies, they "negotiated" but were never reticent about the threat of military force (i.e. Saxony and Poland). Europe was back to the ways of the Aristocrats; dividing peasant populations for the maximum benefit of the sovereigns.

At about 350 pages the book is an enjoyable read and provides satisfying detail in its vivid portrait of the days and nights of the Congress of Vienna. The members of which, danced, ate, and made love, but never actually managed to officially convene.

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