Causes of Metternich Downfall

Introduction• Like all great leaders in history,

Metternich, after soaring to the heights of the power and splendor fell.

• The Causes of his downfall were as follows:

The War of Greek Independence (1821-1829)

The Revolutions of 1830

The Revolution of 1848

The War of Greek Independence (1821-1829)

• In the 18th century the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) was in the process of disintegration.

Greeks were the subject peoples who aspired to regain their lost freedom.

• There were a number of advocates of Greek nationalism like Korais and Rhigas.

Korais (1748-1833)

a patriotic writer who awakened

Greek pride in Hellenic

Culture and language.

Rhigas (1760-1794)

the secretary of Prince Alexander Ypsilanti, the Greek governor of Wallachia.

Hetairia Philikeo their followers founded this kind

of revolutionary society in the Russian society of Odessa in 1814.

o purpose: emanate Greece from Turkish bondage.

oAssociation of Friends

Prince Alexander Ypsilanti

in January 1821, he led the Greek revolt in Moldavia.

this revolt was suppressed by the Ottoman Turks.

the unfortunate libertarian leader, was imprisoned in Austria by order of Metternich.

but the failure in Moldavia did not stop the Greek patriots.

April 22, 1821• Archbishop Germanos, a Greek

prelate-patriot, raised the flag of revolution in Morea in southern Greece.

• The war of Greek Independence began.

What do you think the Greek War of Independence shaped

the minds of people?

it awakened the imagination of Christian Europe.

lovers of freedom everywhere saw in it the heroic struggle of gallant people for liberty.

volunteers from all countries flocked to the Greek standard.

Lord Byron, contributed his pen and life for the Greek cause.

“rebels”• Metternich, in defiance of public opinion

in Europe, refused to aid the Greek patriots.

• he regarded the Greeks as “rebels”• but he could not long check the

avalanche of popular sentiment in favor of Christian Greece.

• France, England and Russia, supported the Greek cause.

• their combined fleets destroyed the Turco-Egyptian navy at the Battle of Navarino (1827).

• a French army drove the Turks out of Morea.• the Russians aided by the Serbs, routed the

Turks in the Balkans and marched toward the Constantinople.

• the sultan signed the Treaty of Adrianople in 1829.

• This was erected to grant:

¤ independence to Greece¤ autonomy to Servia, Moldavia and

Wallachia (Danubean Principalities)¤ Russian consular jurusdiction over

Russian traders in Turkey

The Revolutions of 1830

ö weakened Metternich’s influenceö these revolutions were directed

against the autocratic rulersö in France, Charles X enraged his

subjects by dissolving the Chamber of Deputies and restricting their constitutional rights.

ö The French patriots rose in revolution in July 1830 and drove him to England.

Charles X * was the last Bourbon King of France.* He abdicated in his favor of his little

grandson, the Count of Chamboard.* the successful revolutionist ignored the

little count and established a little monarchy with Louis Philippe (Duke of Orleans) as king.

* “Orleans Monarchy” (1830-48)

Louis Philippe Charles X

July Revolution

• 1830, in France spread to other countries

• the Belgians rose against their Dutch king and proclaimed their independence in October 1830.

• Belgium was recognized as an independent state by the London agreement of 1831 with Leopold of Saxe-Coburg as constitutional king

Leopold of Saxe-Coburg

The German states:Hanover

Hesse-CasselSaxony

Brunswick

followed the example of France and Belgium. They won some constitutional concessions from their rulers.

Revolutionary outbreaks also flared up in Italy:

NaplesPiedmontModenaParma

Papal stated they were unsuccessful

because Metternich sent Austrian troops to crush insurrections.

• In 1831, the Poles also roles in arms against Russian rule. They fought valiantly, but were defeated by the Russian forces sent by Czar Nicholas I.

Czar Nicholas I

The Revolutions of 1848

started in France 1848, when King Louis Philippe’s soldiers fired upon demonstrating students in Paris.

enraged by this atrocity, the people rose in arms shouting: “Long Live the Republic!”

frightened Louis Philippe abdicated in his favor of his grandson, the Count of Paris.

The victorious revolutionists established the Second French Republic (1848-1852)

Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, nephew of Napoleon the Great,was elected the the President of the Republic.

Louis Kossuth 1848 Magyar leader led the

libertarian struggle against the Russian czar and established the Republic of Hungary which lasted only for five months.

Beaten in Battle, fled to US.

The End of Metternich’s Era

• On March 13,1848 Metternich called out the guards to disperse the rebels, but they refused.

• The rebels stormed the emperor’s palace, demanding the dismissal of Prince Metternich.

• He resigned at his office.

• March 14. he and his wife quietly departed for London.

• his beautiful palace was sacked and burned by angry populace.

• His downfall ended the era in absolutism in Europe

• He failed to destroy the democratic legacies of the French Revolution.

Thank You!

Reported by:

Gerome Mikhail C. Tipan