The Vienna Congress: Lord Castlereigh

7 Pages 1687 Words

ial problem came in the form of a self-righteous, moralistic monarch: Tsar Alexander I. Alexander refused to dispute the issue of the ownership of Poland – he claimed he had a ‘right’ to it that transcended the requirements of European security. Yet Castlereagh and the other powers feared that if Poland was given to Russia, Alexander would be in a position of great power, and could likely become a conqueror similar to the recently deposed Napoleon. This claim worried Castlereagh – he first tried to win the Tsar over with persuasive arguments, and when that failed, he attempted to raise a force against him. This, however, was futile, for there were not enough countries or men who were willing to do something as foolish as oppose the most potentially powerful nation on earth. He couldn’t convince Alexander that a strong, independent Poland would be an effective barrier between the Slavonic and Teutonic Empires, and that it appeared probable that Polish independence would help maintain the equilibrium in Europ...