In early 1826, after over a decade since the end of the Great Wars of the Empire and the beginning of the "Pax Napoleonica," Austria's Kaiser Franz I started to protest the way Napoleon had not broken up the British Empire among the Allies and rewarded them in other ways, as had been the promised arrangement and one of the main reasons the other countries fought for Napoleon in the first place (the other being blatant fear of total destruction). Thus, Napoleon, who was seemingly surprised by the anger and proclaimed to have just been busy conquering India from the British and East India Company holdouts and the native Indian warlords, agreed to hold a World Congress, the first of its kind, at Vienna.
The Congress's opening was full of pomp and circumstance. Several days were allotted for the monarchs and leaders to drown themselves in the praise and salutes and bows of the others, all given and received with doubtful sincerity. The following is a list of most of the leaders present (their dignitaries are not counted, which sometimes numbered in the hundreds):
France:
- Napoleon I, Caesar (also King of Andorra, King of Italy, Lord of Mann, Mediator of the Helvetic Confederation, Protector of the Confederation of the Rhine, and Protector of the Free City of Lisbon)
- Michel Ney, Prime Minister
Denmark-Norway:
- Frederick VI, King
- Otto Joachim Moltke, Prime Minister
England:
- Edward VII, King (traditional title of King of Hanover given to Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia six years prior to the Congress)
- John Wallace, Prime Minister
Austria:
- Franz I, Kaiser (also King of Hungary and Bohemia)
- Prinz von Metternich, Chancellor
Prussia and Hanover:
- Friedrich Wilhelm III, King
- Count von Wylich, Chief Minister
Bavaria:
Kingdom of Saxony and Grand Duchy of Warsaw:
- Frederick Augustus I, King, Grand Duke
Württemberg:
Baden:
- Karl, Grand Duke
- Stéphanie, Consort, Daughter of Napoleon I
Portuguese Confederation and Etruria:
- Louis, King (Powerless; ordered directly by Napoleon I)
Principality of Lucca and Piombino:
- Elisa Napoleona, Princess
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (formerly Naples and Sicily):
- Zénaïde, Queen, Daughter of Joseph Bonaparte
Kingdom of Holland:
- Louis I, King, Brother of Napoleon I
Kingdom of Sweden:
- Karl XIV, King (Jean Bernadotte, former grand marshal under and bitter rival of Napoleon I; the two openly argued with each other at the Congress until Karl suddenly dropped dead of a heart attack)
- Oscar I, King
Spain:
Ottoman Empire:
- Benderli Selim Sirri Pasha, Ottoman Grand Vizier
Russian Empire:
- Nicholas I, Czar (also Grand Duke of Finland)
Republican Union:
- Charles Goodyear, Representative
- Miles Romney, Representative
Confederation of the Carolinas:
- Andrew Jackson, Chancellor
- John C. Calhoun, Colonel of the Confederation (unique title; essentially Prime Minister)
Virgin Islands Confederacy:
- Thomas Bragg, Governor-General (answered directly to Jackson and also brought young son Braxton with him; the Congress had a "profound" effect on the boy)
Republic of Virginia:
- Henry Clay, President (also representing the Chesapeake Republic of Maryland)
- Daniel Webster, Vice President
Republic of Georgia:
- John Hardee, Representative (also representing the West Florida Republic and the Republic of Jamaica)
Green Mountain Republic of Vermont:
- Jay Thomas Powell, Chancellor (stormed out after being ridiculed by Ludwig of Bavaria)
The Canadian Question and Goodyear's Tirade, July 5th-6th, 1826:
The whole reason that North American countries had representatives present was really Canada. The Republican Union had a fiery young businessman named Charles Goodyear as their chief negotiator, who was in turn balanced by the mild and moderate Miles Romney, a Consul of Massachusetts. Goodyear had become wealthy first in the rubber industry, farming the substance in French-occupied Brazil, and then in the growing steam engine business, and then finally a tycoon in a venture with Eli Whitney.
The millionaire ranted for over an hour on July 5th, the first official day, over how the Republican Union had been abandoned by France and its allies and how 50% of Canada should be theirs. Frederick Augustus, of Saxony and Warsaw, and Louis, of the Portuguese Confederation and Etruria, both stood up, along with their entire entourages, and booed him publicly. Goodyear's face "looked red as a hot coal" and he turned and launched a brutal tirade of anti-Polish, anti-Eastern European, anti-Catholic, anti-Portuguese, and anti-Italian slurs, until Henry Clay of Virginia told him to "calm down, you ignorant fool." Incensed, Goodyear stormed out and would not com back till the next day, leaving his job to Romney.
Henry Clay (standing, center) confronts Charles Goodyear (far right, sitting) while Romney (in brown suit), sits next to Goodyear
Romney calmly discussed Canada with the other parties concerned, and agreed to drop all other claims to to the French Colony in exchange for Nova Scotia. Goodyear would allegedly slap Romney in the face and call him a gutless coward to his face the next day.
King Karl of Sweden Dies and Oscar I Speaks, July 7th-9th, 1826:
One of the most shocking episodes came on the third day of the Congress, on July 7th, when, following a heated exchange with Napoleon I, Karl (Bernadotte) of Sweden dropped dead, stricken by massive cardiac arrest. The decision as to who would be speak for Sweden had to be made immediately. War was brewing between Sweden and Russia over the Finland Question, and with no leader, the matter might spiral out of control.
The little-known Swedish heir, Oscar I, now an un-crowned king, stood up and shocked everyone in attendance with his excellent speeches and oratory. The fact that he was Napoleon's godson and that he, unlike Karl, loved and respected the French emperor did not hurt his case with many of France's puppets. Frederick Augustus, of Saxony and Warsaw, and Louis, of the Portuguese Confederation and Etruria, stood up, beckoned their entourages to do the same, and "openly wept like babies, as if their very thrones depended on this tearful action." The greying French Caesar nodded approvingly. The matter was then resolved so that Finland became independent and completely neutral. Trade was opened to both Russia and Sweden. If any country violated the treaty, they would have to answer to the European Alliance and the French Empire.
The Spanish Bankruptcy Question, July 10th-15th:
Certainly one of the most pressing and potentially devastating matters undertaken at Vienna was the growing instability of Spain, its colonial empire, and its economy. Despite the gift of a good 60% of Portugal from France during the Great Wars, it was still a backward, poor country, a mere shadow of its former glory and power.
New Spain had experienced its first real revolt just five months prior to the World Congress, when 50 Spanish troops were killed by a mob of impoverished farmers in Cuba. Spain had responded with brutal and quick action, killing citizens senselessly in what Napoleon I called "a needless massacre." The open revolt that followed was still raging at the time of the Congress, where Spain was told to get its act together on the island and stop murdering the Cubans or suffer dire consequences. Little did Vienna know that Cuba had declared independence five days before, or that Virginian and Carolinian ships were currently peacefully blockading Havana to prevent Spanish troops from landing.
In the end, the Congress refused to help Spain if it suffered rebellions, as the nations feared a brutal, prolonged conflict in the jungles and deserts of North and South America helping an elderly empire no one really liked much anymore. It also didn't help that many nations were verging on declaring war with Spain since it wouldn't (and couldn't) pay back huge loans. Austria was the most angry about not being recompensed, and it showed when Prinz von Metternich personally threatened war. Napoleon barely defused the situation, but it was just prolonging the inevitable. Many were suspecting that multiple European countries would support insurrections in New Spain.
Other than that, I'm trying to follow strict plausibility when it comes to geographical-political affairs.
