German Confederation
The German Confederation (Deutscher Bund) was established by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to replace the defunct Holy Roman Empire. It united 39 sovereign German states, including Austria and Prussia, with its primary purpose being mutual defense and maintaining internal order. The Confederation was a loose political association with no central executive or judiciary, dominated by Austria (particularly under Metternich's influence) and Prussia. Many historians view it as weak, ineffective, and an obstacle to the growing liberal and nationalist aspirations for a unified German nation-state. Its creation marked a clear break from the Holy Roman Empire and the beginning of modern German political structures in the post-Napoleonic era. The Confederation ended with the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, which led to the exclusion of Austria from German affairs and paved the way for Prussian-led unification.
Timeline and Overview
The German Confederation (Deutscher Bund) was established by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to replace the defunct Holy Roman Empire. It united 39 sovereign German states, including Austria and Prussia, with its primary purpose being mutual defense and maintaining internal order. The Confederation was a loose political association with no central executive or judiciary, dominated by Austria (particularly under Metternich's influence) and Prussia. Many historians view it as weak, ineffective, and an obstacle to the growing liberal and nationalist aspirations for a unified German nation-state. Its creation marked a clear break from the Holy Roman Empire and the beginning of modern German political structures in the post-Napoleonic era. The Confederation ended with the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, which led to the exclusion of Austria from German affairs and paved the way for Prussian-led unification.