Metternich was an Austrian statesman who served as Foreign Minister and later Chancellor of the Austrian Empire. He was a key architect of the Congress of Vienna (1814–1815), shaping post-Napoleonic Europe through conservative policies aimed at restoring monarchies. He played a pivotal role in the formation of the Holy Alliance, an agreement between Russia, Austria, and Prussia aimed at suppressing revolutionary movements.
Metternich’s diplomacy established a balance of power that preserved European stability for decades, earning him a reputation as a master strategist and a symbol of reactionary politics.