The Spring of Nations in Europe

The years 1848-1849 were a time of many uprisings and protests against the government.
However, attempts to change the political system (Prussia, Austria), regain independence
(Hungary) or unify the state (Italy) ended in failure.

Prussia Austria Hungary Italy

March 1848 – Revolution March 1848 – Protests by March 1848 – An anti-  March 1848 – An anti-
breaks out in Berlin. students and workers begin. Austrian uprising breaks out Austrian uprising breaks out
King of Prussia Frederick Emperor Ferdinand I agrees (Hungarians demand in northern Italy, aiming to
William IV agrees to: to: autonomy from the Austrian unite the divided Italian
Empire). states into one kingdom.
-Release the parliament, -Release a new government,
-The Hungarian parliament -After initial successes, the
-Lift censorship, declares the removal of uprising is crushed by
-Draft a new constitution
Austrian rule. Austrian forces.
(introduces political reforms
-Draft a new constitution, but keeps power with the
Autumn 1848 – Hungary Spring 1849 – Italian
monarchy),
receives military help from insurgents lose key battles,
-Grant political freedoms. Polish (including Józef Bem) and Austria regains control
-The new parliament and Italian volunteers. of northern Italy.
Autumn 1848 – The king abolishes serfdom.
uses the army to crush the Spring 1849 – Austria Summer 1849 – The Papal
revolution, introduces Autumn 1848 – The requests military aid from State suppresses uprisings,
conservative reforms, and emperor restores order with Russia to crush the and the French army
maintains political control. the help of the army. Hungarian uprising. restores the Pope’s rule in
Rome.
-Equality before the law, -The new emperor, Franz Summer 1849 – The
Joseph I, takes the throne Hungarian uprising is Autumn 1849 – Italy's
and suppresses the defeated. unification attempts fail, and
-Religious freedom, Austria remains in control of
uprisings.
large parts of the peninsula.
-Freedom of speech.

Crimean War

The successes of the Russian army in suppressing the uprising in Hungary encouraged Tsar Nicholas I to attack Turkey. Russia
wanted to control the straits connecting the Black Sea with the Mediterranean. The conflict broke out in 1853. It was called the
Crimean War because the greatest fighting took place on the Crimean Peninsula. Contrary to the Tsar's expectations, Turkey was
supported by Great Britain, France and the Kingdom of Sardinia. Russian troops, although more numerous, began to

losing to the modern, well-equipped enemy army. Russia's difficult situation was made worse by the death of Tsar Nicholas I. His
successor, Alexander II, had to quickly end the war.

In 1856, a peace treaty was signed in Paris. The Black Sea was now considered a neutral area, where neither Russian nor Turkish
navies could be present. The Crimean War revealed Russia's military and economic weakness. It also reduced its importance in the
Black Sea region.
 The tsarist authorities, in order to prevent further
The fight against the Viennese order
6 rebellions, established a secret police and expanded
The political order adopted at the Congress of the apparatus of informers.
Vienna had many opponents from the beginning.
In France, dissatisfaction with the rule of Charles X
The allied powers did not take into account the
was growing, and he withdrew most of the
interests of nations and acted against societies
progressive reforms. The ruler strengthened
striving for reforms. However, the social changes
censorship, limited the role of parliament, and
caused by the French Revolution could not be
reduced the number of people who had the right to
stopped. For this reason, from the beginning of the
vote. For this reason, the July Revolution broke out
1820s, national uprisings broke out, including in
in Paris in 1830. The citizens forced Charles X to
Italy, Spain, Belgium, and also on Polish lands.
abdicate, and his relative, Louis Philippe, took over
An attempted coup also took place in Russia. The the government in France. The right to vote was
conspirators wanted to eliminate the monarchy and extended in the country, the power of parliament
introduce a republic or thoroughly reform the was increased, and freedom of the press was
existing system. The Decembrist uprising, called after guaranteed. At the same time, the wealthy
the Russian word diekabar, meaning December, bourgeoisie strengthened its social position.
which began in December 1825, ended in defeat.
Bourgeoisie - the richest inhabitants of cities,
including owners of commercial or manufacturing
enterprises.

-Causes of the Spring of Nations

The revolutions of the 1820s and 1830s did not calm in the years 1845-1847 and the accompanying
the social unrest: epidemics of diseases. In the spring of 1848, revolutions
and national uprisings broke out in many European
-Peasants in Central Europe still worked under
countries. They covered almost all of Europe, which is
serfdom;
why they went down in history as the Spring of Nations.
-In Western Europe, more and more workers
demanded improved working and living conditions;

-The population also demanded the extension of civil -The Spring of Nations in France
rights, including the right to vote;
The first fighting took place in France, where King Louis-
-Unification tendencies were strong among the Philippe had been in power since the July Revolution.
Germans and Italians, and the Poles and Hungarians The poor and workers increasingly protested against
wanted to regain independence. difficult living conditions and unemployment, as well as
financial scandals involving members of the
Revolutionary sentiments were prevalent throughout government. Discontent also grew among other social
Europe. The situation was exacerbated by a wave of groups. In late February 1848, a mass anti-government
crop failures and famine. demonstration turned into street fighting, which gave
rise to the February Revolution. Terrified by these
events, the king abdicated and left the country.
I ALREADY KNOW THIS
The Provisional Government took over power in the
1. The decisions of the Congress of Vienna country, declaring France a republic. Universal male
caused dissatisfaction in many countries. In suffrage was introduced, as well as freedom of the
1825, the Decembrists attempted an press and assembly. Soon new authorities were elected,
unsuccessful coup in Russia. In 1830, during the but they did not intend to meet the further
July Revolution, the French rebelled against the expectations of the population. This led to the workers'
absolute power of King Charles X, and France uprising in Paris in June 1848, which was brutally
became constitutional monarchy. suppressed by the army. In the autumn of that year, a
new constitution was adopted, under which the highest
2. The Spring of Nations, a series of revolutions power was entrusted to the parliament, and executive
and national uprisings, broke out in Europe in power to the president. These bodies were elected in
1848. The events covered almost the entire elections. In December 1848, Louis-Napoleon
continent except Russia and Great Britain. Bonaparte, nephew of Napoleon I, became the first
3. The Spring of Nations began with a revolution president of the republic.
in France. The revolution broke out there in
February 1848. As a result, a republic was