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1848 more than three decades after his defeat the shadow of Napoleon bonapart and the French Revolution still looms over Europe the peace settlement of 1815 had been a Triumph for reactionary forces Europe's great Powers Britain France Austria Russia and Russia were committed to working together to ensure no more reevolu utions radicalism and republicanism would not be allowed to disturb the Peace of Europe [Music] again Austrian Chancellor Prince Clemons Von metan is regarded as the architect
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of this new conservative order some historians call it the metan system and yet across Europe there are many For Whom the ideals of the French Revolution remain not not a nightmare but an inspiration liberals seek personal freedoms and civil rights such as equality before the law protected by constitutions a free press and regular elections nationalists share these aims with a desire in Italy and Germany for National unification or in the multiethnic Austrian Empire for greater recognition
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autonomy and respect for language poles continue to seek the restoration of an independent Poland and have launched one bloody Uprising against the Russians in 1830 their cause is supported by liberals across Europe in most countries liberals and nationalists face Draconian censorship laws arrest by the secret police and bans on political parties and meetings but the are always loopholes in France private Banquets turn into Political rallies in Italy scientific societies discuss politics while
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gymnastic groups do the same in Germany these liberal movements are dominated by the middle class with their own local and National agendas but also many shared values and aims they are passionate organized and waiting for their opportunity [Music]
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but it isn't just the middle classes that want change by 1848 Rising populations and food prices had created hunger poverty and social unrest across Europe low wages and hunger Drive peasants to cities in increasing numbers where they become cheap labor to feed the growing pace of industrialization they live in slums and work long hours in Dreadful conditions if they can find work violent protests by workers and peasants are on the rise Harvest failures and potato blight make a bad
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situation worse with a deadly famine in Ireland and food riots across France in the face of such crisis Europe's governments offer little support or hope of Reform when French prime minister franois gizo is challenged that only the richest half perent could vote in France he merely replies orish Vu get rich in the winter of 1847 48 a sharp economic downturn throw thousands more out of work the case for reform is more urgent than ever but Europe's governments fail to
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act the stage is set for a European
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revolution in southern Italy the kingdom of the two sicilies is ruled by Spanish bourbon King Ferdinand II his disastrous agrarian reforms have United Sicilian landowners and peasants against him his kingdom will witness 1848 first revolution in Sicily Furious crowds Chase bourbon troops out of palmo and the island declares independence reopt its liberal Constitution of 1812 revolutionary fervor spreads to the mainland Mass rallies in Naples Force King Ferdinand to issue his own
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constitution in Pont Sardinia the threat of Revolution persuades King Carlo Alberto to Grant a constitution and there are celebrations in the streets of Turin across the border in Austrian ruled Lombardy Venicia Italian nationalists Revolt in Milan and Venice and drive out the Austrian garrisons but as dramatic as these events are they're about to be eclipsed by news from [Music]
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Paris since France's 1830 July Revolution the country has been ruled by Lou Philip the so-called citizen King he's a more moderate figure than his borbon predecessor Charles I 10th but he opposes further reform despite the growing economic crisis his prime minister franois gizo is hated when he bans the Banquets that are really opposition rallies angry crowds March through Paris chanting down with gizo long live reform gizo resigns but it is not enough nervous troops fire on the crowds 52
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civilians are killed Louis Philipe loses control of the capital and as the mob advances on the twery palace he abdicates and flees to England a new provisional government is formed and from the hotel DeVille new foreign minister alons de lartin announces the Republic has been proclaimed Francis monarchy has fallen in just 3 [Music] days the news is carried across Europe by the new Telegraph system the effect is
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[Music] electrifying 75-year-old Austrian Chancellor Prince metan is among the first to be informed of the revolution in Paris his police chief assures him there's no chance of such a thing happening in Vienna but on the 13th of March around 4,000 students inspired by the news from Paris march on the landhouse the Assembly Building and force their way in there's a confrontation with troops who open fire and kill four Vienna's workers side with the students much of the crowd's hostility
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is directed at met when the state Council suggests he resign metan meekly agrees and heads into Exile in England one of the most extraordinary political careers in Europe's history spanning 40 years comes to an end Emperor Ferdinand suffers from epilepsy and a speech impediment and is a largely passive figure but when his Council announces there will be elections for an assembly that will draft a constitution crowds cheer him in the street the secret police disappear
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censorship is ignored the people of Vienna [Applause] celebrate nationalists within the Austrian Empire are also inspired by events in the Hungarian Parliament politician layos kosut makes a fiery speech denouncing hapsburg absolutism as the pestilential air which dulls our nerves and paralyzes our spirit his speech is printed and circulated widely inspiring others across the Empire hungarians launched their own Revolution with 12 demands that include greater autonomy a free
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press and parliamentary reform Czech liberals in Prague form a National Committee and also send their demands to Vienna there is even a Romanian nationalist Uprising in the ottoman province of vakia forcing the abdication of the local [Music]
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[Music]
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Prince across the smaller states of Germany rulers face popular demands for reform most quickly Grant concessions to avoid losing their Thrones the black red and gold triola symbol of a United Germany is prominent among the crowds Germany's first ever National Assembly meets in Frankfurt with elected delegates from across Germany they debate how they will achieve the liberal dream of a unified Germany and begin drafting its National constitution in the Prussian Capital
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Berlin students and Liberals are thrilled by developments and celebrate Met's fall King Frederick William IV promises reform but also moves extra troops into the city tensions escalate between berliners and soldiers and on the 18th of March protesters erect barricades the Army attacks leading to vicious fighting in the streets 800 protesters are killed the king loses his stomach for the slaughter and withdraws troops from the city promising a new
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[Music] constitution not all Europe is embracing change in Russia Emperor Nicholas firmly opposes any reforms he'd been badly shaken by the decemberist revolt on the opening day of his Reign since then he has tightened censorship and created a new secret police unit the third Department there is a Crackdown on all suspected subversives writer Fodor dooi is among those arrested and subjected to a mock execution before he has exiled to Siberia there will be no concessions in
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Russia by European standards Britain is already a liberal constitutional monarchy and the middle classes broadly accept the status quo but there is a popular movement calling for more democratic reforms they're known as the chartists for the Sixpoint Charter they wish to implement a mass rally is organized for the 10th of April in London this is a photograph of that meeting the authorities fear violence and draft in 80,000 extra police but the event passes off peacefully
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in the Netherlands King William II backs a new Constitution and reforms successfully preempting any revolutionary disturbance with fortuitous timing Frederick iith of Denmark had abolished Royal absolutism in January so also avoids Revolution but he faces a German nationalist Revolt in sches Holstein which leads to war with the German Confederation Denmark will ultimately Prevail in this war thanks to diplomatic support from the other European powers in 1848 polish hopes were high that these
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revolutions would pave the way for the restoration of an independent Poland Europe's liberals after all had frequently expressed enthusiasm for the idea but in reality no major power is willing to risk confrontation with Russia for the sake of the poles a Polish rising in Posen is put down by the prussians while the austrians deal with risings in kov and [Music]
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galitzia the first euphoric phase of the European revolutions becomes known as the springtime of the peoples with censorship relaxed there's an explosion in the number of newspapers among them colog radical new daily NOA Reeser zum edited by Carl [Music] Marx it feels like the dawn of a new era but these early successes are built on the back of an uneasy Alliance as Marx is quick to highlight middleclass liberals want constitutions more inclusion in politics and a free press workers who are the
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Revolutionary foot soldiers in many cities want cheaper food and the right to work German radicals sum it up with a neat pun freedom to read versus freedom to feed Europe's new assemblies are under pressure from conservatives who think they're going too far and radicals and socialists who think they're not going far enough most most horrifying of all to Europe's middle class there hovers the threat of mass direct action social Revolution the [Music]
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mob in the wake of the Revolution France's provisional government had set up national workshops a public works program to leviate unemployment in Paris but just 3 months later a new more conservative government announces their closure 100,000 workers are suddenly jobless the response is immediate and Furious over 3 days in June Paris radicals take on the middleclass National Guard and regular troops in a bloody Battle of the barricades the arch Bishop of Paris
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attempts to mediate but is cut down in a crossfire this remarkable early photograph shows some of the Paris barricades fought over that summer by the time it's all over General kavan's troops have killed at least 1,500 workers and arrest 12,000 more a third of whom are deported to Algeria he believes he has saved France from Anarchy the sacred cause of the Republic has triumphed he declares the French Revolution has split between left and right with bloody consequences it paves the way for the
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return of a famous name from the past promising unity and Order [Music] that spring conservative governments had been caught off guard by the speed of events now they begin to fight back in Prague Czech students clash with troops the wife of Austrian Commander General vindis greates is killed by a stray bullet he responds by withd drawing his troops and bombarding the city's old town with artillery 43 are killed before the students surrender in Italy King Carlo Alberto of
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Pont Sardinia has declared an Italian war of Liberation against Austria and invades Lombardy Venicia he is supported by the other Italian states and nationalist volunteers including the Italian Legion led by professional revolutionary jepi Garibaldi Austrian forces in Italy are commanded by 81-year-old field Marshall radetski a distinguished veteran of the Napoleonic Wars Vienna orders him to negotiate instead retki wages a masterful campaign fending off the pi Mones Advance then
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launching a decisive Counterattack the EDM Mones forces retreat in disarray and Carlo Alberto negotiates the truce that summer Johan Strauss composes the retki march to celebrate the old General's
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Victory meanwhile Austrian relations with Hungary are in crisis the country is now effectively independent with its own elected Parliament and a prime minister Laos bani but not everyone wants to be part of the new Hungary Savage ethnic conflicts break out between hungarians and Romanians in Transylvania and hungarians and serbs in vadina leaving thousands dead an even greater threat is Croatian General ysep Yelich a fire breathing Imperial loyalist who takes
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matters into his own hands and invades what he regards as a renegade Province the emperor still hopes for a peaceful resolution and sends a loyal General count Lamberg to take command of Hungarian military forces but on arrival he's brutally murdered by a mob appalled the Imperial government declares war on the Hungarian
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revolutionaries this in turn outrages liberals and radicals in Vienna there is fresh violence on the streets and the Austrian Minister of war is lynched troops Evacuate the city while the emperor flees to olmutz Yelich marches to the government's Aid he joins forces with vindis greates outside Vienna and together they bombard the city then they attack the October Rising is crushed with the loss of 2,000 Lives 25 revolutionary leaders are executed including Robert bloom a member
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of the German Parliament in Frankfurt he becomes a celebrated martyr of the revolutions with Vienna secure the Austrian invasion of Hungary can begin the hungarians are heavily outnumbered Budapest Falls and the Hungarian Ian government evacuates to
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Deen following the violence in Berlin that March the King of Prussia withdraws to his Palace at Potsdam on the outskirts of the city here he is surrounded by loyal troops and conservative advisers including a 33-year-old Aristocrat named Otto von bismar when asked for his view on what should be done bismar says nothing but leans over to a piano and Taps out the march of the Prussian infantry the forces of conservatism are strong in Prussia there is deep loyalty to the state and the
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King allies like bismar adopt the enemy's tactics launching conser ative political organizations and newspapers to mobilize this support by November King Frederick William has noted the infighting of his opponents and the defeat of the Vienna Revolution and decides to act he orders General vangle to lead 13,000 troops into Berlin they enter the city unopposed and order the Prussian assembly to disperse it has no option but to comply Prussia will get its Constitution
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but it is onehanded down by the king under which he retains full executive power Russian dreams of a true parliamentary system even a republic are dashed in December two new players take the stage who will play key roles in shaping the fate of Europe's revolutions in Vienna Emperor Ferdinand abdicates in favor of his 18-year-old nephew France Yosef he will reign until his death in 1916 in Paris Louie Napoleon bonapart nephew of Emperor Napoleon is elected president of the French Republic in a
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landslide [Music] Victory he promises to heal divisions ose order and restore France to her former [Music] [Applause] [Music]
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glory in Italy the tumult continues into 1849 in the Papal States the reforms of Pope Pas had seen him held up as an unlikely liberal role model model but escalating radicalism and violence notably the assassination of his Justice Minister pelino Rossi caused Pope PAs to flee Rome in his absence a Roman Republic is declared it is led by jepe mansini the iconic figurehead of Italian nationalism who's devoted his life to the unification of his homeland but elsewhere the Italian cause
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fares badly Carlo Alberto resumes his war with Austria with disastrous consequences at the Battle of Novara retki inflicts another heavy defeat Carlo Alberto abdicates in favor of his son Victorio emmanueli to avoid a republican Revolution 12 years later he will become the first king of a modern United Italy in the South Ferdinand reverts to Absolute Buist Rule and sends troops to Sicily who Stamp Out the revolution then to the dismay of liberals across Europe French president
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Louie Napoleon sends troops to crush the Republic of Rome and put the pope back on his throne he has decided the support of French Catholics is more important to him than the fate of Italian Republicans French forces are led by General uino son of the famous Marshall Rome's Defenders are led by Gary Baldi but despite skilled and courageous resistance Rome is forced to surrender after a 2-month siege that summer retki also retakes Venice and puts an end to its
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Republic in March the German national parliament in Frankfurt had finally agreed on a constitution for a United Germany it is to be a constitutional monarchy under an emperor the man intended to play this role is Frederick William of Prussia so when he declines the offer the plan is killed stoned dead in public he says it is impossible without the consent of the other German princes in private he says he would never accept a crown from the gutter disgraced by the stinker Revolution
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revolts in support of the national Constitution breakout in Saxony the palatinate and the grand duche of Barden they are crushed by local forces assisted by Prussian troops the Frankfurt Parliament itself is dissolved what hope there had been for a United Germany under a liberal Constitution lies in ruins in Austria the new emperor France Yosef issues his own new constitution reclaiming almost all political power he also revokes all the liberal reforms passed by the Hungarian Parliament known
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as the April laws in response Laos kosut declares formal Hungarian Independence and the country begins an extraordinary campaign of military [Music] mobilization Hungarian Commander General gge retakes Budapest he then launches a bloody assault on Buddha castle overpowering its Austrian Garrison in desperation the Austrian Emperor travels to Warsaw to formerly request military aid from the Emperor of Russia Russian troops have already moved into malavia and then vakia to put down
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the Romanian liberal Revolution Nicholas now agrees to send troops to Hungary to crush those he describes as the enemies of order and Tranquility Hungary faces an impossible strategic situation surrounded and outnumbered more than two to1 the combined Onslaught is irresistible the Hungarian forces are driven South and finally forced to surrender in the aftermath around 100 120 Hungarian politicians and army officers are executed so ends hungary's war of [Music]
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independence 1848 was a year like no other a series of seismic political events following one upon another like falling dominoes but what had been achieved a British historian famously described 1848 as the turning point at which modern history failed to turn and for all the Euphoria of Europe's Springtime of the peoples by 1849 it seemed that the counter revolutionaries had won everywhere but some gains did endure such as the abolition of surom in Austria and the popular vote in France
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though France became a little less Democratic in 1852 after Louie Napoleon made himself Emperor across Europe governments modernized and paid more attention to economic and social issues partly in response to the new challenges that had emerged from socialist and workingclass politics the C causes of German and Italian unification had been defeated but made giant strides and learned crucial lessons their goals would not be achieved by ideas alone but the realities of force in the words of
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bismar the great questions of the day were to be settled not through speeches and majority decisions but by Iron and blood it would be Wars w by powerful monarchies that United Germany and [Music] Italy the legacy of 1848 for good and Ill would be felt for decades to come
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