Class Year



As one of the most prolific and influential statesmen of the nineteenth century, Prince Clemens von Metternich is a man whose politics, policies, and political philosophy has received a good amount of attention from historians. Owing to the focus on his career rather than his personal story, the details of his early life have often gone unanalyzed in the context of his later views, despite the formative influence of these years on his political philosophy. An upbringing culturally influenced by France, an education focused on natural sciences and history, and a first-hand experience with the worst side of the French Revolution serve as the origins of key Metternichian principles, such as the balance of power, the legitimacy of monarchs, and conservative opposition to revolution, can be tracked to Metternich’s early life. Thus, in order to fully understand Metternich’s motives as a politician and diplomat, one must understanding his background and early life.