What was Treaty of Vienna ?

The Russian Tsar and the Kings of Prussia, Denmark, Bavaria and Wurttemberg all resided as special guests in the Hofburg Palace in the heart of Vienna. 170 new imperial carriages were built just for the occasion, while thousands of sumptuous new uniforms were manufactured to clothe an expanded imperial staff. Every night, hundreds of guests ate at the Emperor’s expense. There were nightly dinners and soirées, frequent masked balls, and a series of spectacular special events, such as a costumed medieval joust in the Spanish Riding School and a giant sleigh ride to the Palace of Schönbrunn on the outskirts of the city.

The Congress of Vienna promoted principles of peace.

First and foremost, the Congress statesmen desired a territorial settlement that would preserve the peace. Since they saw the greatest threat to Europe as coming from France, they surrounded her with a series of buffer states

All the states of Europe were invited to sign the Vienna “Final Act,” making it the cornerstone of public law in Europe. No war between any of the great powers occurred for the next 40 years, until the Crimean War, and no major war on the scale of the Napoleonic Wars took place until the outbreak of World War I a century later.

To achieve this spectacular success, the diplomats at Vienna chose the path of negotiation over confrontation.

The Treaty of Vienna, also known as the Treaty of Schönbrunn, was signed on 14 October, 1809, and ratified by Napoleon one day later, on 15 October. The treaty officially brought to an end France’s war with Austria, although hostilities had ended the day after the Battle of Znaïm (10-11 July, 1809). The text of the treaty is a contemporary translation taken from Cobbett’s Political Register, vol. 16, published in 1809. This article forms part of our close-up on: the Treaty of Vienna.

Having seen and considered the treaty concluded, determined, and signed at Vienna, on the 14th of this month, by the Sieur Nompere de Champagny, our minister for foreign affairs, in virtue of the full powers to that end given him by us, and the prince John of Lichtenstein, marshal of the armies of his majesty the emperor of Austria, equally provided with full powers—which treaty is of the following tenor;

His majesty the emperor of the French, king of Italy, protector of the League of the Rhine, the sieur Jean Baptiste Nompere, count de Champagny, duke of Cadore, grand eagle bearer of the Legion of Honour, commander of the order of the Iron Crown, knight of the order of St. Andrew of Russia, grand dignitary of that of the Two Sicilies.

There shall, from the day of the exchange of the ratifications of the present treaty, be peace and friendship between his majesty the emperor of the French, king of Italy, protector of the League of the Rhine; and his majesty the emperor of Austria, king of Hungary and Bohemia, their heirs and successors, their states and subjects respectively

The present peace is also declared to be common to his majesty the king of Spain, his majesty the king of Holland, his majesty the king of Naples, his majesty the king of Bavaria, his majesty the king of Wirtemburgh, his majesty the king of Saxony, and his majesty the king of Westphalia, his most eminent highness the prince primate, their royal highnesses the grand duke of Baden

the grand duke of Berg, the grand duke of Hesse-Darmstadt, the grand duke of Wurtzburgh, and all the princes and members of the League of the Rhine, the allies, in the present war, of his majesty the emperor of the French, king of Italy, protector of the League of the Rhine.

His majesty the emperor of Austria, king of Hungary and Bohemia, cedes, as well for himself, his heirs and successors, as for the princes of his house, their heirs and respective successors, the principalities, lordships, domains, and territories

herein-after mentioned, and also all titles which may accrue from the possession of the same; and all properties, whether manorial or held by them under an especial title, lying within the said territories.

He cedes and transfers to his majesty the emperor of the French, to form a part of the League of the Rhine, and to be placed at his disposition for the interest of the sovereigns of the League

The territories of Saltzburg and Berchtolsgaden; that part of Upper Austria, situate on the further side of a line running from the Danube, at the village of Straas, therein comprehending Weissenkirch, Wedersdorff, Michelbach, Greist, Muckenhoffen, Heist and Jedina; thence in the direction of Schwandstadt on the Aller, and thence ascending the town of Schwandstadt along the bank of that river, and the lake of the same name, to the point where the lake touches upon the territory of Saltzburg.

His majesty the emperor of Austria shall only retain in property the woods belonging to the Saltz-Cammer-Gut, and forming part of the manor of Mondsee, with liberty to cut and carry thence the brushwood, but without enjoying any right of sovereignty upon that territory.

The district round Cracow, upon the right bank of the Vistula, shall in the direction of Podgorze, have for its circumference the distance from Podgorze to Wieliczka. The line of demarkation shall pass through Wieliczka, and to the westward touch upon Scawina, and to the eastward upon the Beek, which falls into the Vistula at Brzdegy.

Wieliczka and the whole of the territory of the Salt-pits shall belong in common to the emperor of Austria, and the king of Saxony. Justice shall be administered therein in the name of the municipal power; there shall be quartered there only the troops necessary for the support of the police, and they shall consist of equal numbers of those of both nations.

The Austrian salt from Wieliczka, in its conveyance over the Vistula, and through the duchy of Warsaw, shall not be subject to any toll-duties. Corn of all kinds, raised in Austrian Gallicia, may also be freely exported across the Vistula.

The Teutonic order having been abolished in the states of the league of the Rhine, his majesty the emperor of Austria, in the name of his imperial highness the archduke Anthony, abdicates the grand mastership of that order in his states, and recognizes the dispositions taken with regard to the property of the order, locally situated out of the Austrian territory. Pensions shall be assigned to those who have been on the civil establishment of the order.

The debts funded upon the territory of the ceded provinces and allowed by the states of the said provinces, or accruing from expenses incurred for their administration, shall alone follow the fate of those provinces.

They shall have permission, during a period of six years, to dispose of their properties, of whatever description they may be; to sell their estates, even, those that have been considered inalienable, such as fidei commissa and majoratus; to leave the country, and to carry with them the produce of these sales, in specie, or effects of any other description, without paying any duty for the same, or experiencing any difficulty or obstruction.

Within six weeks, from the exchange of the present treaty, posts shall be erected, to mark the boundaries of Cracow, upon the right bank of the Vistula. For this purpose there shall be nominated Austrian, French, and Saxon commissioners.

The prisoners of war taken by France and her allies from Austria, and by Austria from France and her allies, that have not yet been released, shall be given up within fourteen days after the exchange of the ratification of the present treaty

The titles of domains, archives, plans and maps of the countries, towns, and fortresses ceded, shall be given up within two months after the period of the ratification.

His majesty the emperor of Austria, king of Hungary and Bohemia, engages to discharge the yearly interest, arrears, and capitals, invested in securities of the government, states, bank, lottery, or other public establishments, by subjects, companies, or corporate bodies in France, the kingdom of Italy, and the grand duchy of Berg.