METTERNICH, ma'ter-nin, Clair* Wenzel Nepomuk Lothar, PRINCE. 18tW statesman: h. Coblenz, 15 May 1773: d lee" 11 June 1859. He was educated at Strasltburg; when only 17 represented the Westphalian princes at the coronation of Leopold II; settled in Vienna in 1794; and assured himself a place in diplomacy by marrying the granddaughter of the Austrian chancellor, Kaunitz, in 1795. This marriage not only gave him entry to the best society, but brought wealth, and at the Congress of Rastatt he represented the Westphalian col legium, where he served his apprenticeship in politics. In 1801 he was sent to Dresden by Aus two years later to Berlin; there a part of his mission was to cultivate the friendship of the French Ambassador. He did this so well that that official induced Napoleon :to suggest to Austria that Metternich would be a most acceptable representative at the Tuileries; and so in 1806 he was sent to Paris, where he in gratiated himself with Caroline Mnrat, sister to Napoleon, and with Tallyrarid. On the out break of the war between France and Austria, Metternich was put to much personal inconveni ence by Napoleon, who forcibly- ,detained him for some time. Thereafter he entered eagerly into the anti-Napoleonic league; assisted in the formation of the Quadruple Alliance; and as Germany proved successful, took no part in the national sentiment which arose, but directed himself solely to the aggrandizement of Aus tria, hence doing his best to preserve the French boundaries as they had been and :to render Austria the only gainer among the powers by the reapportionment of Europe. He is credited
with having planned and brought about the marriage of Napoleon and Maria Louise. In the years that followed he carried things his own way in Austria, planned the Holy Alliance and was extremely reactionary in his internal and foreign policies. In the difficult times of Napoleon's supremacy and his fall Metternich guided Austria policies with a masterly hand. As a diplomatist he was the equal of any of his time. In 1814 he visited England and formed the quadruple alliance. He was the master spirit at the Congress of Vienna and for 15 years thereafter was the leading statesman of Europe. The Revolution of 1830 in France showed the ill-success of his program; and the rising of 1848 and the insurrection in Vi enna itself made it necessary for the Emperor Ferdinand to demand his resignation. I-le kept some power even then, his counsel being frequently sought. Consult Gross-Hoffinger, Metternich und das osterreichische Staatsystem) (1846) ; Mazade. (1.jn chancelier d'ancien regime: le regne diplematlitue di M. de Metternich) (1889) • Malleson, (Life .f Prince Metternich' (14); Dernelitsok (Met ternich und seine auswartige Politik) (1898) ; Sandeman, J. A. C., (Metternich, Life and Career) (New York 1911).