prince german prince june politician statesman extraction important diplomats era serving foreign minister chancellor liberal revolutions forced resignation tasks engineer france included marriage napoleon austrian soon engineered austria entry war sixth coalition allied signed treaty sent napoleon exile led austrian delegation congress vienna divided major powers service given title prince october guidance system international continued decade austria aligned russia lesser extent prussia marked high point austria diplomatic importance slowly slipped periphery international diplomacy home held post chancellor state francis son brief exile london brighton brussels lasted returned court time offer advice ferdinand successor having generation politicians died age born son diplomat named godfather archbishop received good education universities help coronation predecessor brief trip england named austrian ambassador netherlands short lived post country brought french control year married wife descendant aided entry society despite having numerous affairs devastated death later wedding death years taking office foreign minister held numerous smaller posts including roles sons successful diplomat acknowledged children traditional conservative keen maintain balance power particular resisting russian territorial ambitions lands belonging ottoman_empire disliked worked prevent breakup austrian empire example crushing nationalist revolts austrian north italy german states home pursued similar policy censorship wide ranging spy network suppress unrest praised heavily criticised policies pursued supporters point presided age international diplomacy helped prevent major wars europe qualities diplomat commended noting achievements considerable light weakness negotiating position decision oppose russian seen good detractors describe stuck ill thought conservative principles sense argue secure austria future instead proposals administrative reform largely rejected opposition german nationalism blamed germany unification prussia austria historians argued far power view suggests policies exercised accord views austria monarchy early life born diplomat passed service imperial court wife alternatively von named honour prince archbishop past employer father eldest son older sister time birth family possessed ruined castle estate west won 17th century time father described boring chronic contemporary austrian ambassador courts cologne education handled mother heavily influenced proximity france years considered able communicate better french german child went official visits father direction protestant tutor academic subjects swimming summer began studying law november student time accommodated prince future king bavaria time described simon happy handsome contemporaries later left september attend october coronation frankfurt performed largely role wing father met future looked ease attendant nobility end summer studied law receiving conservative education city return unsafe summers worked father appointed march francis succeeded father crowned july earlier role added honour opening accompanying ball alongside meantime france declared war austria beginning war coalition making study impossible employment father sent special mission led interrogation french minister war accompanying commissioners observed siege fall later looking substantial lessons warfare early sent england ostensibly official business helping treasurer general negotiate loan marriage england met king occasions number influential british politicians including nominated new minister left england september unfortunately found exiled powerless government retreat latest french advance october french army swept germany annexed estates disappointed affected strong criticism father policies joined parents vienna november september married granddaughter austrian chancellor marriage arranged mother introduced society undoubtedly motivation demonstrated affection conditions imposed father bride youthful continue live home second forbidden serving diplomat long prince alive daughter maria born january studies vienna prince death september allowed participate initially father took secretary ensuring proceedings officially started december named representative bored remained role congress finally wound period chosen live gave birth sons francis february shortly end congress june died days francis soon contracted lung infection recover ambassador dresden berlin holy roman empire defeat war second coalition shook diplomatic circles promising offered choice ministerial positions copenhagen dresden chose dresden late january appointment officially announced february vienna wrote instructions memorandum showing greater understanding earlier writing visited estate autumn taking new position november memorandum lost saxon court headed retiring man little political initiative despite court enjoyed light hearted city took mistress bore daughter january wife child named number important contacts including publicist serve critic thirty years established links important polish french political figures brought family new estates title prince seat ensuing diplomatic appointed ambassador notified february taking position november year arrived critical european diplomacy soon growing worried territorial ambitions newly leader france fear shared russian court alexander kept informed russian policy autumn vienna decided action entered august process began involvement war coalition impossible task convince prussia join coalition eventual agreement coalition defeat battle prussia disregarded agreement signed treaty french instead paris ensuing vienna austrian foreign minister freeing assume post ambassador russian_empire russia need arisen new austrian french court approved post june enjoyed demand happy sent france generous salary year trip took residence august retain close adviser decades met french foreign minister august napoleon days later saint cloud soon war fourth coalition drew napoleon eastwards wife children joined october went society charm win great presence prevent series affairs certainly included napoleon sister treaties july saw austria position europe vulnerable believed accord russia france meantime found new french foreign minister struggled negotiate satisfactory settlement future french forts following months reach austrian policy reputation increased pushed russo austrian alliance preoccupied wars engaged commit time came eventual war france inevitable memorable event argued napoleon napoleon 39th birthday celebrations august increasingly obvious preparations war sides soon napoleon refused attendance later glad hear napoleon attempts congress russia invade austria proved unsuccessful late recalled vienna weeks meetings possibility austria invading france napoleon campaign spain reported france united napoleon russia unlikely want fight austria france reliable troops fight central europe paris overtly safety austria declared war france arrested retaliation arrest french diplomats vienna effects minimal allowed leave france escort austria late napoleon capture conducted austrian capital exchange french diplomats foreign minister france austria witnessed hand austrian army defeat battle resignation foreign minister aftermath emperor immediately offered post worried napoleon seize demand peace terms instead agreed minister state july lead negotiations french understanding replace foreign minister later date peace talks forward pro french proposals save austrian monarchy napoleon disliked position future poland gradually displaced proceedings soon regained influence october foreign minister additionally minister early earlier affair public understanding scandal minimal tasks push marriage napoleon youngest sister later seek distance marriage claiming napoleon idea case happy claim responsibility time february napoleon agreed pair married march left france soon followed different route unofficially trip designed explained transport family stranded france outbreak war home report austrian emperor activities instead stayed months office vienna father set marriage terms set concessions won trivial trading rights delay payment war estates belonging germans austrian service including family lifting man limit austrian army particularly welcomed sign increased austrian independence austria longer afford army greater limit prescribed france ally returned vienna october longer popular influence limited foreign affairs attempts reintroduced failed convinced weakened austria avoid invasion france rejected advances instead concluded alliance napoleon march supported period moderate censorship aimed preventing french requiring austrian troops fight alongside french alliance treaty generous prussia signed month earlier allowed britain russia assurances austria remained committed napoleonic ambitions accompanied sovereign final meeting napoleon dresden napoleon french invasion russia dresden meeting revealed austria influence europe reached lowest point bent establishing influence considered strong ties sides war proposing general peace talks headed austria months slowly distance austria french cause avoiding alliance prussia russia remaining open proposal secure place combined dynasty driven concern napoleon defeated russia prussia stand gain napoleon fighting officially war sixth coalition continued austria alliance france ended february austria moved position armed neutrality neutral keen turning france contemporaries emperor favoured plans general settlement november offered napoleon frankfurt proposals allow napoleon remain emperor reduce france natural control italy germany netherlands napoleon expecting win war delayed long lost opportunity december allies withdrawn offer early closing paris napoleon agreed frankfurt proposals late rejected new terms proposed allies statement general war aims included austria secured russia britain remained generally unwilling military initiative fought years establish despite francis created austrian foreign minister grand chancellor post vacant time increasingly worried napoleon retreat bring disorder harm peace concluded soon believed britain sent proposals france russia rejected battles french initiated truce called starting april began slowly reluctantly prepare austria war france armistice provided austria time fuller complete left vienna personally handle negotiations arrived began affair lasted months mistress achieved influence continue write separation french foreign minister remained elusive manage discuss state affairs june talks later ratified convention agreed general peace demands set process austria enter war coalition shortly invited join napoleon dresden terms directly reliable record meeting june exists stormy effective meeting agreement finally reached leave peace talks start prague july run august agreeing ignored convention angered austria coalition allies properly meet napoleon gave representatives count insufficient powers negotiate informal discussions held lieu conference implied napoleon negotiate allied army threatened france convinced ultimatum issued france went austria declared war august coalition partner austria allies saw declaration admission austria diplomatic ambitions failed viewed longer campaign rest war hold coalition curb russians momentum europe end won early victory austrian general prince confirmed supreme commander coalition forces alexander succeeded getting allied monarchs alexander francis prussia follow armies campaign treaties allowed austria remain future france italy poland confined british prussia russia september requested subsidies austria coalition forces took offensive october witnessed successful days later rewarded wise direction rank prince german delighted frankfurt early november particular showed francis ceremony organised war drawing close remained determined prevent creation strong unified german state offering napoleon generous terms order retain december napoleon agreed talk talks delayed need participation senior british diplomat talks begin coalition armies crossed rhine december retired frankfurt celebrate christmas wife family travelling new coalition headquarters january particularly fate france intensified january prompting alexander storm missed arrival mid january formed good working relationship met remained demanding push centre france fortunately preoccupied object ideas like final peace conference vienna attend talks french wanted stay alexander talks stalled brief advance coalition forces retreat relieved fears alexander act continued negotiations french envoy early mid march victory coalition offensive time trying hold coalition british engineered treaty help absence russians coalition agreed restoration dynasty francis rejected final plea napoleon favour wife paris fell march military manoeuvres forced westward march deliberate delay left french capital april april found city peace annoyance largely control austrians disliked terms treaty russian imposed napoleon absence reluctant oppose april signed treaty focused austrian interests forthcoming peace asserting austria influence germany prussia russian reasons ensured italian provinces lost french client states duly annexed division french occupied poland germany confined interests allies failed proposals advanced issue postponed peace treaty signed like counterparts anxious provide renewed french monarchy resources suppress new revolution generous treaty paris signed free accompanied england followed paris crossing triumphant filled weeks establishing reputation austria awarded honorary law degree university_of_oxford contrast pleasure alexander ill insulting despite opportunities little diplomacy took place instead firmly agreed proper discussions place vienna date tentatively set august tried postpone october agreed effected conditions prevented alexander exercising advantage facto control poland eventually reunited family austria middle july having stopped week france fears surrounding napoleon wife return vienna celebrated occasional included line history holds thee model great men autumn heads reigning representatives noble families began gathering vienna ministers big coalition allies britain austria prussia russia arrived stayed quietly hours south heard reached vienna meet encouraged declined meetings held city representatives agreed congress operate delight named aide secretary negotiations big big plus france spain spanish representative learned decisions agreements negotiated big sweden portugal similarly angered exclusion congress especially determined little power possible result big decision congress postponed november fact soon postponed minor commission beginning work november meantime organised vast array delegates including leaving negotiate behalf briefly turned attention feeling italy time learnt disappointed exhausted social rounds let guard drop negotiations poland ruled napoleon implying austria match russia militarily pair meet person despite francis refused dismiss foreign minister political crisis vienna november culminating declaration russia compromise claim poland satellite kingdom coalition rejected utterly agreement stand alexander went far challenge duel fortunately soon rapid face agreed division poland regard time allowed participate big big discussions new consensus major issues concerning poland germany settled second week february austria gained land partition poland prevented prussian annexation forced accept russian dominance poland increasing prussian influence germany focused getting german states historic rights new stand prussia assisted worked smaller issues like navigation rights rhine beginning lent february brought time devote congressional issues private discussions southern italy said raising army march awakened news napoleon escaped island prison hour met wanted change course little impact congress finally march big declared napoleon outlaw allies began preparations renewed fighting march signed treaty committing sending men little sign prior divisive military commanders left vienna congress settled work fixing boundaries independent netherlands proposals loose confederation swiss earlier agreements poland late april major issues remained organisation new german federation problem italy soon began come head austria solidified control venice extended protection provinces nominally control francis daughter april announced austria formally war naples austria won battle captured naples weeks later able delay decision future country vienna discussions germany drag early june joint austrian prussian proposition ratified left constitutional issues new diet president emperor francis despite criticism austria pleased outcome degree control granted certainly able use diet ends numerous occasions arrangement similarly popular german representatives treaty signed june russians signed week later bringing officially end left june line prepared lengthy war napoleon napoleon defeated decisively battle june paris italy june coalition allies paris discussing peace terms read son daughters narrowly escaped death bridge collapsed disliked enforced separation days negotiations longer turmoil second treaty paris concluded november opinion france happy result france lost little land eastern borders seven million french artworks plundered accepted army occupation numbering meantime separate treaty proposed alexander signed september created new centered russia prussia austria document pushed wanted given liberal sentiments representatives european states eventually signed exception pope united_kingdom ottoman_empire shortly separate treaty reaffirmed established sixth article congress system regular diplomatic meetings europe peace austrian flag flew land foreign minister returned question italy making visit country early december visiting venice family joined milan december playing liberal urging francis region autonomy spent months italy busy suffering chronic tried control austrian foreign policy milan disagreement empire heavily criticised absence enemies occupied work finance minister fierce critic policies died april gap views emperor eased active compromise proposals returned vienna year absence professionally rest passed quietly tired minister concerned fiscal policy monitoring spread germany nationalism italy personally shaken november death years later wrote life ended old took time return july news receive new estates rhine miles birthplace june required escort emperor newly daughter ship delay arrival spent time travelling italy visited venice florence alarmed developments noted francis concessions practice optimistic plea august failed decided efforts general administrative reform avoid appearance favouring italians rest empire working returned vienna september immediately caught organisation daughter maria marriage days later proved taken ill delay recovery condensed proposals italy documents submitted francis dated october administration remain new new local including italy importantly divisions regional national end francis accepted revised proposals albeit alterations restrictions primary focus remained preserving unity great powers europe power concerned liberal minded increasing influence continual threat russia large areas declining ottoman_empire called earlier envisaged april britain drawn pushed proposals congress prussian frontier town months later advised spa town treat tension pleasant month long trip received news death father age visited family estate frankfurt late august encourage member states agree procedural issues visit time years new estate travelling emperor francis warmly greeted catholic towns rhine progressed arranged advance newspapers cover peacetime congress kind discussions began pushed withdrawal allied troops france means preserving unity european powers agreed immediately agreement extended maintaining rejected plans things single european army recommendations greater controls freedom speech equally hard powers britain support openly travelled brussels soon congress broke stay days pair exchanged letters years arrived vienna december finally able spend considerable time children entertained christmas season spent weeks monitoring italy germany setting emperor trip italy trip cut short assassination conservative german august short delay decided german governments act perceived problem austria called informal conference sounded prussian support meeting prussia july carried day recent attempt life chief minister nassau win agreement conservative program known conference opened august ran rest month overcame opposition proposed group anti revolutionary measures correct condemned outsiders despite pleased result known conference vienna later year found constrained bavaria abandon plans reform german federation regretted having quickly forced original constitution years held ground issues highly envisaged remained vienna close finding affair bore heard death daughter tuberculosis prague heard eldest daughter maria contracted disease died july prompted remaining children leave cleaner air france rest filled liberal revolts expected respond ultimately austrian foreign minister torn following conservative pledge policy favoured russians keeping country austria interest favoured british chose sympathetic inactivity spain dismay surprise led revolt naples early july forced king ferdinand accept new constitution reluctantly agreed attend russian initiated october discuss events need worried gave way accepted compromise proposal moderate worried influence laid conservative principles long memorandum including attack free press initiative middle classes congress disbanded week december step congress discuss intervention ferdinand found able dominate congress overseeing ferdinand rejection liberal constitution agreed months austrian armies left naples february entered city march congress luck kept representatives powers close hand revolt result similar revolts broke middle march hand agreed send men frontier solidarity concerns grew vienna policy expensive responded naples pay stability nonetheless clearly worried future italy relieved able create court chancellor chancellor state post left vacant death pleased renewed fragile austria prussia russia come expense anglo austrian chancellor revolt threatened bring ottoman_empire brink collapse wanting strong ottoman_empire russian opposed forms greek nationalism alexander returned russia secured agreement act write asking intervene extra support met king george united_kingdom october welcome promise settle austria financial debts britain earlier anglo austrian restored pair agreed support austrian position concerning balkans went away happy met christmas expected sent vienna february talks soon convinced ambitious russian let events return austria promised support russia enforcing treaties ottomans alliance members likewise aware politically impossible british adversary russian court retired service end april new threat russia determined intervene spain action described utter nonsense played time convincing ally come vienna talks scheduled congress died suicide august dead relations british weakening lost useful ally congress fine social event successful supposedly concerned italy congress focus spain instead austria urged non intervention french carried day proposal joint invasion force prussia committed men pledged worried difficulties transporting numbers spain french ambitions pledged moral support joint force december spending days venice munich returned vienna early january remained september travelled partly new post chancellor partly declining health arrival family paris society politically year march french crossed moral solidarity established likewise thought new pope pro french trouble austria german states included furthermore russian diplomat instead renewed suspicion worse came late september accompanying emperor meeting alexander austrian settlement ukraine fell ill fever continue brief talks russian foreign minister talks absence asked congress russian capital saint_petersburg discuss eastern question wary letting russians dominate affairs play time fortunately dual proposal meetings settlement favourable russia limited autonomy greek pairing european powers potential attendees like british foreign secretary slowly turned away annoyance alexander believed months afterward gained unique level influence renewed conservative program outlined years sought increase austrian influence informed press longer minutes diet meetings january began worry wife health reached paris shortly death march mourning took opportunity paris elite unfortunately aside reported enhance reputation left paris time april joined emperor milan arriving declined pope invitation cardinal church short trip genoa early july court dispersed visited daughters fourteen quiet town despite received constant reports including ominous developments ottoman_empire greek revolt rapidly crushed egypt deal fallout unable congress talked major ambassadors mid clear allies decide course action longer viable political entity hungarian problems italy early 1820s advised francis help approval financial reform fact diet saw sessions filled criticism empire eroded historic rights nobility complained interfered time customs daily life forced travel modern day perform ceremonial duties observe alarmed growth hungarian national sentiment wary growing influence nationalist met twice vienna mid december heard death mixed feelings known reminded death potentially wiped diplomatic slate clean claim credit liberal revolt new crush chose send establish contact nicholas friendly british envoy duke wellington enlisted help charm nicholas despite months nicholas reign firstly british chosen oversee russian ottoman talks result exercise influence resulting convention france began drift away non position august russian foreign minister rejected proposal congress discuss events eventually led outbreak civil war portugal austrian foreign minister accepted surprising november second wife marriage small affair village outside vienna drew considerable criticism grace charm soon won society day british russian french forces destroyed ottoman fleet battle worried intervention ottoman_empire balance carefully created relief new british prime minister wellington cabinet equally fearful giving russia upper hand balkans round proposals rejected stood eastern question watching treaty signed september publicly criticised harsh turkey privately satisfied promise greek autonomy making russian expansion russian satellite state private life filled grief november mother died january died days giving birth son fighting tuberculosis months son junior diplomat died november consequently spent christmas depressed worried methods fellow conservatives renewed march took needed holiday estate returned vienna month later worried chaos london paris declining ability prevent waters met late july quiet offence taken arranged second meeting august interim heard france july revolution deeply shocked theoretically posed need congress instead met planned russian rejected plan restore old alliance pair agreed panic new government showed territorial ambitions europe pleased mood news unrest brussels netherlands resignation wellington london calls germany wrote beginning end nonetheless fact july revolution franco russian alliance impossible netherlands called old style congress sort enjoyed successful past ones king hungary little dissent november year old came family long known agreed announcement caused far vienna previous bride married january february rebels took cities appealed france help masters appealed help austria anxious march austrian troops new pope occupied eventually cross papal territory result italy end march authorised troop withdrawal july january second rebellion noticeably hair grey face drawn sunken wife enjoyed company february daughter born son died aged months october second son paul politically new adversary lord taken end clashed virtually issue short wrote wrong annoyed insistence agreements britain right oppose austria university controls germany worried future held britain wanted influence significantly reduced eastern question revisited peace europe egypt invaded ottoman_empire fears empire total collapse austria stood gain little proposed support ottomans congress sort details french british refused support congress held vienna summer anglo austrian relations hit new low russia confident influence mistaken left observe russian intervention region culminating treaty arranged meet accompany francis meet september meeting went felt able dominate despite rising economic prominence europe strained nicholas warmed reached shaped new conservative league uphold existing order turkey poland left happy sole disappointment having commit tougher polish nationalists immediately heard creation britain france spain portugal alliance liberals austrian values wrote like face reads treaty draw bitter condemnation provided occasion outbreak war tried intrigue removal british foreign attempt build cross power agreements removed november temporarily attempts large scale war avoided beginning march emperor francis died succeeded son despite widespread opinion ferdinand ghost monarch valued legitimacy highly worked government running soon accompanied ferdinand meeting ferdinand overwhelmed especially prague overall meeting years passed relatively peacefully diplomatic incident limited occasional angry exchange failure british russians black_sea dispute effort bringing new technology like railways austria pressing issue hungary remained reluctant support nationalist sad commentary declining powers political presence court increasingly lost power rising star particularly proposals increase military budgets failed attempt force constitutional reform afforded greater influence largely thwarted minded forced share power austria decision making ground halt entertaining maintaining estates consuming resources time young children support causing stress long predicted new crisis east second egyptian war broke anxious establish austria diplomatic credentials quickly gathered representatives vienna july issued constantinople support sent message challenging vienna claim diplomatic worked fell ill spending weeks resting austrians lost initiative accept london new centre negotiations weeks creation diplomatic response aggressive moves french prime minister mere curiosity little heard proposals hold congress germany separate attempt strengthen influence ambassadors stationed vienna rejected set tone rest illness broken love office decade wife prepared quietly retirement death office work early 1840s dominated hungary generally questions national identity diverse austrian empire showed moments acute perception hungarian proposals came far late led rise strong hungarian nationalism support opposed threatened unity empire lost principal ally growing heart austrian government struggled enforce level censorship desired fortunately major challenges regime outside italy quiet attempt lecture new prussian king new british queen victoria meeting posed immediate problems far worrying dynasty austria low impromptu tour italy unexpectedly stopped vienna bad mood awkward guest criticisms austria russia invade ottoman_empire months later countries required work slaughter declaration independence authorised occupation city use troops restore order surrounding areas intent pseudo independence granted months negotiations prussia russia austria annexed city november regarded personal victory action dubious utility polish officially austria europe wide polish movement worked actively system rights britain france appeared similarly outraged calls resignation ignored years ferdinand favour son regency believed austria need interim hold government revolution kept pouring forth despite building crisis new pope gaining reputation liberal nationalist austria time empire experienced unemployment rising prices result poor outcry italians pope ordered occupation papal controlled summer despite securing french agreement time years france austria forced backing pair proposed conference government crushed revolt major blow prestige opponents vienna called evidence incompetence january predicted trouble italy year ahead acted envoy italy plans italian arranging plans french late february austrian field placed austrian italy martial law disturbances spread despite hearing renewed revolution france cautious thinking domestic revolution unlikely described saxon diplomat words biographer having shadow self march gave fiery speech calling constitution march appeared concerned events vienna threats counter threats flying petitions organised calling greater freedom transparency representation students involved demonstrations culminating march royal family voiced anger customary morning called meet soon midday chancellor troops sent streets announcing minimal concession afternoon crowd turned hostile division troops opened fire killing mob truly liberals joined set havoc students offered form pro government demands met eager accept told resign reluctantly agreed sleeping advised resignation leave city sent message effect government guarantee safety left house aid friends reached family seat miles away daughter joined march suggested england haven agreeing year old richard set leaving younger children resignation met cheering vienna welcomed end era social exile return death anxious journey days honoured towns refused entry wife son richard arrived dutch city stayed regained strength reached amsterdam waited hear results demonstration english planned april april landed london stayed hotel square fortnight found permanent residence largely enjoyed time london duke wellington nearly eighty tried entertained visits exile enjoyed political conversation sole disappointment victoria acknowledge presence capital trio leased house months younger children joined summer followed events austria famously denying having fact declared turmoil europe policies vienna hostile post censorship press continued attack particular accused accepting bribes prompting investigation eventually cleared extreme charges searches evidence lesser ones came handed likelihood large expense claims merely product early 19th century diplomacy denied pension ironically reliant loans mid september family moved brighton south coast england life contrasted greatly revolutionary europe left parliamentary figures particularly travelled visit friend led reconciliation expecting visit daughter daughter family moved suite rooms richmond palace april visitors included wellington watched composer sister lover lover showing age frequent cause worry chancellor depressed lack communication new emperor government wrote vienna trying encourage contact august received warm letter sincere considerably mid august began push brussels city cheaper live closer continental affairs arrived october staying overnight hotel revolution hopeful return vienna stay fact lasted months waited opportunity enter austrian politics pleasant cheap stay boulevard later area filled visits politicians writers musicians scientists increased march induced write new political force vienna ask return promised interfere public affairs april received reply authorised left estate visited summer enjoyed company prussian representative enjoyed visit king irritated appearing tool september returned vienna entertained way german princes keen entertain focus prussian intrigue dropped nostalgia lived present time decade asked advice numerous issues influenced emerging factions vienna courted called state visit keen new foreign minister thought sufficiently incompetent advice varying quality nonetheless modern issues deaf wrote particularly wanted austrian neutrality war meantime health slowly failing peripheral figure death wife january brief resurgence energy early arrangements marriage son richard granddaughter richard step sister daughter undertook travel king came visit august entertained future edward vii united_kingdom growing advice particularly italy april came ask italy according send ultimatum italy explained ultimatum sent way disappointment embarrassment austria began second italian war independence combined forces ally france able secure replacement friend helped involvement war capacity special task given june draw secret papers addressing event death shortly died vienna june aged great figure generation note vienna came pay tribute foreign press death went virtually unnoticed historical assessment particularly 19th century heavily criticised man prevented austria rest central europe developing normal liberal constitutional lines stood way progress austria reformed dealt better problems world war happened instead chose fight overwhelmingly fruitless war forces nationalism heavy censorship range instruments state available included large spy network opposed electoral reform criticising british reform bill short locked battle prevailing mood age hand diplomacy focus praise 20th century favourably inclined historians particularly biographer example particularly historians likely defend policies reasonable attempts achieve goals chiefly balance power europe sympathetic historians point correctly worked prevent russian dominance europe succeeding successors fail years later argued pursued legality cooperation dialogue helped ensure years peace age authors like credit liberal ideals weighed relatively little overall policies critical views ability shape europe favorably chose modern critiques like questioned influence actually critic noted realm foreign affairs rely degraded time interpretation task create hid austria true weakness came choosing set sound principles wrote taylor men better result diplomat taylor described boring man european history failures limited foreign affairs critics argue home equally powerless failing effect proposals administrative reform contrast attempted describe master diplomacy perfected shaped nature diplomacy era similar vein argues served purpose relatively coherent set principles issue children grandchildren great grandchildren names ancestry
Klemens von Metternich