Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle (1818) Facts for Kids

A memorial in Aachen for the Congress.

The Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle was a very important meeting held in the autumn of 1818. It brought together leaders from France and four powerful countries. These were Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia. These four countries had defeated France in 1814.

The main goal of the meeting was to decide when the foreign armies occupying France would leave. They also wanted to sort out the money France still owed for the wars. The meeting went well. France was able to pay its debts. The Allied troops left France completely within a few weeks. This meeting was part of a series of conferences called the Concert of Europe.

The foreign armies officially ended their occupation of France on September 30, 1818. By November 30, all troops had left. Duc de Richelieu, who represented France, helped France rejoin the European discussion system. This brought France back as a major European power.

France was supposed to pay 700 million francs after the 1815 Treaty of Paris. They paid this in installments over five years. When the Congress met, France had paid on time. 332 million francs were still owed. France offered to pay 265 million francs instead. 100 million francs would be in French bonds (like loans). The rest would be paid in installments through English banks.

The biggest success of the Congress was officially ending the wars from 1792 to 1815. All claims against France were closed. France was accepted as an equal member of the "Concert of Four," which now became the "Concert of Five Powers." The original four powers secretly renewed their Quadruple Alliance. But this was mostly a formality. Over the years, the four powers started to disagree on issues about Italy, South America, and Greece.

Who Attended the Congress?
What Was Decided?
- Agreement to Withdraw Troops
- Key Agreements Signed
Other Discussions
Why Was This Congress Important?
Gallery of Delegates
See also

Who Attended the Congress?

The Congress started in Aachen on October 1. Important leaders attended the first meeting. These included Emperor Alexander I of Russia of Russia, Emperor Francis I of Austria of Austria, and King Frederick William III of Prussia of Prussia.

Britain was represented by Lord Castlereagh and the Duke of Wellington. Austria's representative was Prince Metternich. Russia sent Counts Capo d'Istria and Nesselrode. Prussia was represented by Prince Hardenberg and Count Bernstorff. The Duc de Richelieu represented France, thanks to the Allies. Members of the Rothschild banking dynasty (a famous banking family) were also very involved in the Congress.

What Was Decided?

Agreement to Withdraw Troops

The agreement for Allied troops to leave France was made at the first meeting. The treaty for this was signed on October 9. Since this main goal was quickly achieved, the Congress spent most of its time discussing the future of the European alliance. They also talked about what "military measures" might be needed if France caused trouble again.

Emperor Alexander I of Russia suggested creating a "universal union of guarantee." This idea was based on the Holy Alliance. It would involve all countries working together to guarantee peace. But Britain strongly disagreed with this idea. So, it was not adopted.

Key Agreements Signed

The main outcome of the Congress was the signing of two important documents on November 15:

A secret agreement that confirmed and renewed the Quadruple Alliance. This alliance was originally formed by the treaties of Chaumont and Paris (from November 20, 1815) against France.
A public statement. This declaration showed that the powers intended to stay closely united. They said their union was "strengthened by the ties of Christian brotherhood." The goal was to keep peace by respecting treaties.

The secret agreement was shared confidentially with Richelieu. France was publicly invited to join the declaration.

Other Discussions

The Russian tsar suggested a new alliance. This alliance would include all countries that signed the Vienna treaties. It would guarantee the independence and borders of all members. The tsar also proposed an international army, led by the Russian army. This army would intervene in any country that needed help.

However, Britain's representative, Castlereagh, thought this was a bad idea. He did not want Russian armies marching across Europe to stop popular uprisings. He also felt that including all smaller countries would cause too much confusion. Britain refused to join, so this idea was dropped.

The delegates also discussed several topics that were not fully settled at the earlier Congress of Vienna. These included how to stop the Atlantic slave trade and deal with the Barbary pirates. No final decisions were made on these issues. This was mainly because other powers disagreed with Britain's idea of searching ships at sea. Also, Britain did not want international action that would involve a Russian navy in the Mediterranean Sea.

In less important matters, the Congress agreed more easily. For example, King Frederick VI of Denmark asked for help. As a result, Charles XIV of Sweden was told to follow the terms of the Treaty of Kiel. The request from the Prince-elector of Hesse to be recognized as a king was rejected by everyone. Steps were also taken to help the German mediatized princes with their problems.

Important questions about Germany, like the Baden succession, were saved for a future meeting. This meeting took place in Frankfurt am Main on July 10, 1819.

Many other topics were also discussed. These ranged from how Napoleon was being treated in exile on Saint Helena to the complaints of the people of Monaco against their prince. They also talked about the situation of Jewish people in Austria and Prussia. An attempt to discuss the Spanish colonies was stopped by Britain.

Why Was This Congress Important?

The Congress ended in late November. It is historically important because it shows the highest point in the 19th century when European powers tried to govern Europe together. Studying its events helps us understand how difficult it was to create an effective international diplomatic system. This was before the League of Nations was formed after the First World War.