How Russia Became the "Gendarme of Europe"
Participants of the Congress of Vienna. Engraving by Jean-Baptiste Isabey
King of Kings
The Union's ideological inspiration was the Russian Tsar Alexander Pavlovich, who planned to eliminate the possibility of military conflicts between monarchical Christian states through such an agreement. The Holy Alliance, concluded after the collapse of Napoleon's empire, was intended to prevent the outbreak of another major war in Europe, preserve the established order, and suppress revolutionary movements in Europe that could destroy the old world.
Alexander I, inspired by his victory over the French in 1812, formed a new coalition and inflicted a final defeat on Napoleon. On March 31, 1814, the Russian army entered Paris. That day, Alexander I experienced his finest hour, the apogee of his greatness, glory, and happiness. He avenged the disgrace of Austerlitz, the terrible lesson of Friedland, the destruction of Smolensk, and the burning of Moscow.
Alexander I's contemporaries called him the "King of Kings," the vanquisher of the Antichrist, and the liberator of Europe. European capitals enthusiastically welcomed the Russian Cossacks and the Tsar-Liberator. Even the people of Paris greeted him with flowers. Berlin's main square is named after him—Alexander Platz.
This is not surprising. In Russia and around the world, the defeats and victories of World War II and the Great Patriotic War have almost been forgotten. Yet, the confrontation between France and all of Europe was effectively a world war, in which the future of the entire world was decided. Millions of armies clashed on the battlefields of Europe, Asia, and America, and the future of Europe and the entire world was at stake.
A. Kivshenko. The Entry of Russian Troops into Paris
Congress of Vienna
In September 1814, the victorious monarchs gathered at a congress in Vienna to redistribute Europe liberated from Napoleon. The Congress of Vienna was the most representative stories diplomacy: Europe sent there the heads of 216 states, namely two emperors, five kings and 209 princely sovereigns.
True, the two hundred dwarf principalities, duchies, and electorates were mere extras. All matters at the congress were decided by a quintet of great powers—Russia, England, Austria, Prussia, and the French royal family, which had been accepted into their fold. And within the quintet, the Russian Tsar played the leading role. After all, it was the Russian army that crushed the "invincible" Napoleon.
Almost immediately, Napoleon's victors began to quarrel: Austria with Prussia over leadership in Germany and the redistribution of territories there; Prussia with England over Saxony; and all of them with Russia over Poland. St. Petersburg wanted to annex the Duchy of Warsaw entirely. "I have conquered the Duchy," said Alexander I, "and I have 480 soldiers to defend it."
England, Prussia, and Austria did not want Russia to grow stronger. Things reached the point that on January 3, 1815, the British, Austrians, and French concluded a secret treaty and prepared a plan for a military campaign against Russia and Prussia. A new major war was planned to begin by the end of March. A commander-in-chief for the armies of the three powers was also appointed—the same Prince K. F. Schwarzenberg, who had fought Napoleon.
Only the “100 days of Napoleon”, when the French emperor with a handful of soldiers landed in Europe and without a single shot occupied Paris to the enthusiastic greetings of almost all strata of the country’s population (“Long live the Emperor!"), stopped a new pan-European confrontation. In essence, Napoleon, without intending to, saved Russia from war with its former allies.
The news of Napoleon's return frightened and united the former allies. Napoleon's action effectively stopped the great war waged by the European powers against Russia. Russia's enemies were frightened; Napoleon terrified them. They feared his fame and the masses who followed him. Everyone immediately forgot about their disputes (or rather, postponed them for later) and remembered Russian bayonets. The Great Powers declared Napoleon an "enemy of humanity" and formed the Seventh Anti-Napoleonic Coalition. This time, Napoleon was defeated without the participation of Russian troops.The guard dies, but does not surrender!»).
The Congress of Vienna concluded shortly before Waterloo. Its final act was signed on June 9, 1815. Russia received most of the Duchy of Warsaw under the name "Kingdom of Poland." That same year, Alexander I granted the Kingdom of Poland a constitution and autonomy within the Russian Empire, although Russia itself lacked such rights and freedoms. Later, the Polish elite would "repay" Russia with a series of uprisings.
Austria and Prussia divided the remaining portion of the Duchy of Warsaw between themselves and acquired rich lands: Austria in Italy, Prussia in Saxony. England secured Malta, the Ionian Islands, and several French colonies. France returned to its 1792 borders, but was not required to pay reparations.
Alexander nobly refused reparations from his bloodied and humiliated country. The allies were forced to submit to the will of the Russian Tsar and, in turn, refused reparations. The monarchs deposed by the French Revolution and Napoleon returned to the throne of France, as well as to other European thrones (in Spain, Piedmont, the Roman Empire, Naples, and the German principalities).
Thus, the Congress of Vienna concluded the Great War, which had lasted nearly two decades, and restored feudal absolutist rule in Europe. And to ensure "order" in Europe, the Holy Alliance was created.
German artist Heinrich Olivier. The Holy Alliance. 1815. Depicted: Emperor Alexander I of Russia (left), Emperor Franz I of Austria (center), and King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia (right), dressed in knightly armor before the altar of a Gothic church.
"Do no good, and you will receive no evil."
On September 14 (26), 1815, in Paris, Emperor Alexander I, Austrian Emperor Franz I and Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm III concluded the Holy Alliance in confirmation of the results of the congress and signed an Act confirming this.
The main provisions of the Act stated that the monarchs intended to be guided by "the commandments of this holy faith, love, truth and peace"; that they "will remain united by the bonds of a real and indissoluble brotherhood"; that, "considering themselves as foreigners, they will in any case and in every place give each other assistance, support and aid."
Soon, King Louis XVIII of France joined the Holy Alliance, followed by most of Europe's monarchs, with the exception of the Prince Regent of Great Britain and the Pope. However, Britain still supported the Alliance's policies on a number of issues and actively participated in the congresses.
There was another scenario dangerous for supranational structures: an alliance between Russia and France. Emperor Paul I outlined this possibility, and Napoleon sought it. Together, Russia and France could have supplanted England and established their own order in Europe and the world. However, this possibility was destroyed by Paul I's assassination.
The Tsar stood up for legitimacy and traditional monarchy. Russia liberated Europe, and Russian Cossacks entered Paris. Alexander emerged as an idealist and mystic. He presented a surprising proposal at the Congress of Vienna to build a new Europe based on evangelical principles. In Vienna, Tsar Alexander defined the rights of peoples: they must be based on the precepts of Holy Scripture. The Russian Tsar proposed in Austria that all monarchs and governments of Europe renounce national egoism and Machiavellianism in foreign policy and sign the Charter of the Holy Alliance.
Clearly, this was idealism. But no one dared to oppose it, just as they did against the conqueror of Napoleon. The Charter of the Holy Alliance would be signed by the participants of the Congress.
The text was personally compiled by Emperor Alexander and only slightly amended by the Emperor of Austria and the King of Prussia. The three monarchs, representing three Christian denominations—Orthodoxy (Russia), Catholicism (Austria), and Protestantism (Prussia)—address the world in the preamble:
"We solemnly declare that this act has no other purpose than the desire to show before the whole world our unwavering intention to choose as a rule, both in the internal administration of our states and in relations with other governments, the commandments of holy religion, the commandments of justice, love, and peace, which are observed not only in private life, but must guide the policy of sovereigns, being the only means of strengthening human institutions and correcting their imperfections."
From 1815 to 1818, fifty states signed the Charter of the Holy Alliance. Until the death of Alexander I in 1825, the heads of European governments met in congresses to coordinate their policies.
Thus, the victims of Russia in the war with Napoleon and the revolution allowed Europe to live in relative peace for several decades. For forty years, from 1815 to 1855 a year, Europe did not know serious wars.
On the other hand, the Holy Alliance's policies often undermined Russia's own national interests. Tsars Alexander and Nicholas saved the European monarchies and Turkey, even though their destruction benefited us.
In particular, Russia benefited from supporting the Greek uprising against the Ottoman Empire, in order to strike a blow against its traditional adversary and gain an ally in the Greeks. Ultimately, France and England reaped all the benefits of an independent Greece.
Russia benefited from the gradual collapse of both the Ottoman and Austrian empires. The Russian Empire could have grown stronger by acquiring new Slavic and Orthodox states and bringing them under its protection. However, St. Petersburg chose not to do so, rescuing crumbling empires. For example, it saved the Habsburg Empire when Hungary rebelled against it (1848–1849). Austria then "rewarded" Russia with a hostile policy during the Eastern (Crimean) War.
In general, Europeans quickly forgot that it was Russia that saved Berlin, Vienna, London, and other capitals from the "Corsican monster." That, thanks to the Russians, Europeans for a significant period forgot what a major war was. The Russian Empire was accused of becoming the "policeman of Europe," hindering its development.
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