4. THE CONGRESS OF VIENNA AND THE CONCERT OF EUROPE THE EUROPEAN RESTORATION -
The states that had defeated Napoleon met at the Congress of Vienna in 1814-1815 to reorganise Europe. - All the countries involved were represented, but the decisions were made byfour great powers: Austria, Russia, Prussia and the United Kingdom. - They adopted the Concert of Europe or Congress System to maintain the balane of powerand restore the Ancien RĂŠgime: 1. Absolute monarchies were re-established: the hrones of France and Spain were returned to the Houseof Bourbon(Louis XVIII in France and Fernando VII in Spain) 2. The great powers formed alliances (Holly Alliance, Quadruple Alliance and Quintuple Alliance) to protect the monarchs from revolution: if one was threatened, the others would intervene on their behalf. 3. The political map of Europewas redrawn. - The organiser and key figure of the Congress of Vienna was the Austrian foreign minister von Metternich.