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Which major European leaders worked with Klemens von Metternich at the Congress of Vienna?
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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.
At the Congress of Vienna, Klemens von Metternich worked alongside several prominent European statesmen who formed the committee of five, which directed the proceedings to reorganize Europe.1
The key leaders and representatives included:
- Great Britain: Viscount Castlereagh served as the primary foreign minister, later replaced by the Duke of Wellington and subsequently Lord Clancarty.21
- Russia: Tsar Alexander I directed his nation's diplomacy personally.21
- Prussia: King Frederick William III was represented by his principal minister, Karl, Prince von Hardenberg.21
- France: Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand represented the restored monarchy of Louis XVIII.21
Additionally, Friedrich Gentz assisted Metternich in managing the protocol and secretarial organization of the congress. While Metternich sought to maintain a balance of power, he often utilized these diplomatic relationships to check the territorial ambitions of Russia and Prussia while ensuring France remained a stable counterweight in European affairs.23