Transcript Bourbon Foreign Policy 1815-30

Bourbon Foreign Policy 1815-30
www.educationforum.co.uk
100 Days
 The reign of Louis XVIII got off to a very difficult start with
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Napoleon’s 100 days
A ‘glorious’ Napoleon return to France with one final battle
with the Great powers which he lost at Waterloo
Any Bourbon foreign policy would have to compete with the
glory and empire of the Napoleonic era
Many French men were however ‘war weary’
Louis XVII made to appear weak and timid during the 100
days – fled – only to return under the protection of France’s
recent enemies
1818 Successes
 At the Congress of Aix La Chapelle – the first in
Castlereagh’s Congress system – Louis XVIII achieved a
number of successes:
1. Army of occupation removed
2. Indemnity paid off
3. France given fill membership of the Quintuple Alliance and
full congress membership – a great power again and back
into the international fold
1823 and Spain
 In 1823 Louis XVIII sent French troops (with the support of
the holy Alliance countries) to free King Ferdinand VII from
the liberal rebels in Spain who had forced their King to
accept a liberal constitution
 A quick victory for French forces and a sign perhaps of
France’s restored international status
 HOWEVER – lost support of the British through this action
(Canning opposed intervention) and very little home support
for appearing to support a despot abroad – especially
annoyed supporters of the principles of constitutional
monarchy
Charles X and the Barbary Pirates
 One major foreign policy event for Charles – a quick and
significant victory against the ‘Barbary pirates’ in 1830 –
Arab pirates form North Africa who had been disrupting
western trade in the Mediterranean
 In the process Charles also secure the territory of Algiers for
France which became a long term France colony
 Charles X expected support for these achievements which
were significant – however received very little support and in
fact may have weakened his own ability to resist the 1830
revolt which occurred whilst many troops were in Algiers
‘building his empire’