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How did Klemens von Metternich’s marriage to Eleonore von Kaunitz help his political career?
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Klemens von Metternich
Klemens von Metternich, black and white chalk drawing by Anton Graff, c. 1803–05; in the Dresden State Art Collections, Dresden, Germany.
Klemens von Metternich’s marriage to Eleonore von Kaunitz in 1795 was a pivotal moment for his professional advancement. As the granddaughter of the former Austrian state chancellor Wenzel Anton, Graf von Kaunitz, Eleonore provided Metternich with a crucial connection to the high nobility of Austria. This alliance granted him the access to high office that he had long desired, effectively facilitating his entry into the upper echelons of the Austrian political establishment.1