Frankfurt proposals facts for kids
The Frankfurt Proposals (also known as the Frankfurt Memorandum) were a peace idea suggested by Klemens von Metternich, who was Austria's foreign minister. This offer was made to the French Emperor Napoleon I in November 1813. It came after Napoleon had a huge defeat at the Battle of Leipzig. The main goal was to peacefully end the War of the Sixth Coalition. The Allies had taken back most of Germany up to the Rhine River, but they weren't sure what to do next. Metternich stepped in with this plan.
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A Peace Offer to Napoleon
The Allies, meeting in Frankfurt, wrote down these proposals. Metternich watched over the process very closely. A British diplomat named Lord Aberdeen was there. He didn't quite understand what his government in London wanted. So, he agreed to these fair terms.
What the Proposals Said
The plan suggested that Napoleon could stay as Emperor of France. However, France would shrink to what French revolutionaries called its "natural borders." These "natural borders" were the Pyrenees mountains, the Alps mountains, and the Rhine River.
France would get to keep:
These areas were taken by France during the early wars of the French Revolution. But France would have to give up other lands it had taken over. This included parts of Spain, Poland, and the Netherlands. It also meant giving up most of Italy and Germany that was east of the Rhine.
Napoleon's Missed Chance
Napoleon and Metternich had already talked about some terms in June. This happened at a private meeting in Dresden. The final offer was given to Napoleon by Baron de Saint-Aignon in November.
Metternich told Napoleon that this was the best deal the Allies would likely offer. He warned that if the Allies won more battles, the terms would get much tougher. Metternich wanted France to remain strong enough to balance against Russia. He also wanted to finally stop the many wars that were causing so much trouble.
Napoleon thought he would win the war. He waited too long to accept the offer. Because of his delay, he lost this chance for peace.
The Offer is Withdrawn
By December, Austria had signed agreements with the other Allies. London also rejected the terms. They worried that if France kept Belgium, it could be used as a base to invade Britain. So, the peace offer was officially taken back.
When the Allies invaded France in late 1813, Napoleon was greatly outnumbered. He tried to start peace talks again. He offered to accept the original Frankfurt Proposals. But it was too late. The Allies now had new, much harsher terms. These new terms said France had to go back to its 1791 borders. This meant losing Belgium and the Rhineland. Napoleon strongly refused these new terms. He was finally forced to give up his power on April 6, 1814.
See also
- Klemens von Metternich
- Napoleonic Wars
- Natural frontiers
