*Formed from major powers of Europe*
*Chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich (Austrain statesman)*
*Purpose: Redraw continent's political map after defeat Napoleonic France*
*Napoleon returned from exile, but discussions continued*
*Their final act was signed nine days before Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo (June 18, 1815)*
*Some say the congress never took place because they met in informal sessions among the Great Powers*
*Began to be criticized as having ignored national and liberal impulses*
*Later became a major part in the Conservative Order*
*Finally in the 20th century the members have come to be recognized and respected*
The arrest of Charles Edward-Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle*
*Also called Concert of Europe*
*Series of meetings between old great powers between 1815 and 1822*
*Founding Members: Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia*
*The founding members were also members of the fourth coalition which was the reason Napoleon fell*
*Leaders: Britain's foreign secretary Lord Castlereagh, Austrain chancellor Prince Metternich, and the Tsar of Russia Alexander I*
*Primary Objectives: 1. Contain France after decades of war; 2. Acheive balance of power between Europe's great powers; 3. Uphold territorial arangements made at Congress of Vienna; 4. Prevent rise of ruler similiar to Napoleon which would result in another continent wide war*
*Generally considered successful because war between great powers didn't break out until Crimean War forty years later*
*France successfully reentered into European alliance in 1818 at Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle*
*After that, congress system began to fall apart because of diagreements between the main powers*
*Despite failure, marked important step in European and World diplomacy*