Metternich: A dandy, womanizer, pompous fop and great diplomat

[@stemogstel22]

Can we take a moment to appreciate that Metternich helped get his country involved in a war that it lost in humiliating fashion, and he got promoted? That is called failing upward, and we can all learn from him.

[@angelsaltamontes7336]

"Learn"? Please. EMULATE? Ohhhhh, yes. In the words of Madge the Beautician, we're soaking in it!

[@madarah8533]

Its pretty easy actually: always claim victories as your own and deflect failure on someone else

[@CptMoroni35]

I’m loving how you are doing so many bios about European people of influence during the mid-19th Century. They’re all overlapping and painting a more detailed picture of that time, 👍🏻

[@brianmessemer2973]

Indeed. Aggregate understanding.

[@codysodyssey3818]

@@leeroberts4850 What?

[@henry-thepizzaeater-morgan704]

@@leeroberts4850 history from below isn't really all that interesting

[@bjacobs9199]

The Crash Course channel is currently running a series called European History. After learning about Metternich there, I came to learn more about him here. Great job! For me, these two series provide some cross-fertilization. Thank you again for this fantastic channel!

[@jray5363]

The pieces are falling together, and painting a vivid picture! It’s fascinating to learn about these people that impacted history so much.

[@faded_ink3545]

Ma boi Talleyrand deserves his own episode. He was such a snake and master of politics that Napoleon once called him “shit in silk stockings... his only loyalty is to Brie cheese”

[@littledikkins2]

An apt description, but in truth, the man actually served France not whoever held the throne or the Government at any particular time. Something that today is a given among Western Democracies in our Diplomats and political leaders.

[@DarialKuznetsova]

Now I'm intrigued.

[@meeeka]

Talleyrand went to the 1815 negotiations as the defeated Foreign Minister of France but left the proceedings with every advantage that post- Bonaparte France required ----and some said whatever France wanted. Talleyrand, the crippled younger son of an ancien regime noble family, was put into the Church for his career, in the Church he became a libertine. He was called to sit in the États-Générale, which became the Revolutionary National Assembly. After running from the Terror, he returned to work for France under Old Boney and then, post- Bonaparte France. He married a mistress because Bonaparte the Prude insisted, then, once married , he never had anything to do with her again. Only Talleyrand.

[@fidelio9301]

Don't forget Joseph Fouche.

[@brianjones3191]

Napoleon talking about loyalty is rich.

[@generalbeta9133]

Damn, I had no clue who this guy was, but the title was enough for me to click at this video. Besides, it was like always informative and fun.

[@Biographics]

It was probably too much but we are trying out some things today.

[@brokenwishbone422]

I think it was great

[@lisakaz35]

If you take Western Civ II or Modern History of Europe, you'll find him. Congress of Vienna (1814) is a BIIIIIGGG deal.

[@MaxiTB]

You must not be European then, everyone here learns about him in basic education ;-) The Congress of Vienna is the biggest diplomatic achievement ever. It was a template for the League of Nations and the United Nations, the concept of peace through trade was later again the foundation of the European Union. In other words, it pretty much was the origin of modern western global politics.

[@generalbeta9133]

@@MaxiTB, I am from Germany and I am not unfamiliar with history, I just didn't catch up with this and I didn't have that topic in school yet.

[@humphrey4976]

“A master strategist to some, a vain buffoon to others” this man must be related to Boris Johnson

[@littledikkins2]

The way Johnson keeps getting boxed in by the House of Commons and the Courts, I'd say he isn't much of a tactician, just a bully who loses it when stood up to.

[@Nero-ox5tw]

He's intelligent, but he is no master strategist.

[@StefanMedici]

No one has confused Alexander Johnson as a master strategist. An opportunist, a self promoter, yes.

[@Benji-jj2bg]

Boris Johnson is the greatest leader our country has seen in the last hundred years. Thank God we have such a strong and professional leader to protect us.

[@Chef_PC]

“A comically pompous fop” is now my new favorite insult.

[@napoleoninrags1346]

I would imagine "fop" to be a verb. Wtheck do I know

[@CuteDwarf11]

I had to laugh at that. 😂 I still am in stitches, and I don't think I'm going to stop anytime soon.

[@philkaseyewitness6912]

I love that

[@gensaikawakami341]

"Fop"? Wth is a Fop? I'm an American you gotta go slow: is it like a fap?

[@normalguyhere9158]

@@gensaikawakami341 it's like a person who likes to show themselves off basically like a peacock I think Google it though

[@Erizou90]

Fun fact: Mocking Metternich's lack of height, he was given the nickname "Millimetternich". (For those of you who mainly use inches and feet, a millimeter is about the width of a fruitfly.😇)

[@dewott8251]

He must have been furious over it

[@angelsaltamontes7336]

Fruitflies are pfat. A pfruitphly ran for the bantamweight championshiop in 1948, but he chickened out. Missed it by THAT much.

[@rabemolon]

Metternich's system had effects on America too. A lot of Germans emigrated to America after the '48 revolutions. There are people speaking German in Texas in because of Metternich's system.

[@franciscomm7675]

Interesting

[@shelbynamels973]

One term I heard used to describe them was "Latin Farmers", because a lot of them were university students, fluent in Latin, or even ancient Greek, and now were making a living farming and other menial pursuits.

[@dubwn9421]

Lots emigrated to the Midwest too

[@anirudhsilai5790]

Very true - some of them even served with the Union in the Civil War, like Carl Schurz

[@angelsaltamontes7336]

Pity Metternich's cowboy hat didn't arrive in time!

[@jacobdavis7356]

Simon Whistler and everyone else who works at both top tens and bio graphics. I would like to thank you for putting as much hard work and dedication into what you guys do.

[@petrameyer1121]

Hard work? As the British and RUSSIANS at Waterloo? Or do you mean Austerlitz in FRANCE?

[@CaPoSeCToR]

First I was like: "Yeah, a video about Metternich! He was born in my hometown it'll probably get mentioned! And then you hit us with " one of the tiny states on the westbank of the rhine" I mean c'mon Biographics give my hometown "Koblenz" some credit haha

[@andreacvecic]

Bachs absolutism, Ban Jelačić haha

[@olluman123]

Atleast we have your comment at the top to give us that knoledge

[@maximilianrenner3195]

Ебаты немце😂😂😂

[@adityaisgreat21]

@The Infidel Infidel!

[@roguescape]

@@maximilianrenner3195 racist

[@timepickle8443]

The fun part is learning about these relatively unknown historical figures and also the fact checks for the occasional mistakes in the comments. Love this channel.

[@diedertspijkerboer]

That was a good one. I'd heard if Metternich, but never knew much about him, nor about that period in European history. Kudos to you for choosing a more obscure person for this episode.

[@gew1898]

Austerlitz was fought in Moravia, part of the Austrian Empire (currently in the Czech Republic), not in France.

[@napoleonbonaparteempereurd4676]

Correct

[@davidthompson6834]

Arnt you a clever chap

[@gew1898]

David Thompson I’ve been there on several occasions.

[@napoleonbonaparteempereurd4676]

@@gew1898 When it was foggy? That's when it's best time to visit.

[@petrameyer1121]

@@davidthompson6834 He is an educated chap.

[@azurikogahona1687]

My daily dose of knowledge... Wonderful!

[@Niko_P_Iskanius]

Could you make a video about Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, Marshal of Finland and the sixth president of Finland?

[@michealohaodha9351]

YES!

[@TheLewisPlaysHD]

Yes

[@Artur_M.]

Now you have to make a video about Talleyrand one day. Edit: Didn't you actually make one already? Was it removed for some reason?

[@purplecat4977]

Came to the comments to say this. Tallyrand, please!

[@TheGeekyHippie]

same here. *REALLY* wanna know more about this bloke now

[@charlesphiri264]

Read my mind

[@jeffridley2564]

he already did tallyrand

[@michaelball93]

A very enigmatic figure who goes unreported a lot. Make it happen.

[@lazarstevic4715]

Since Talleyrand was such resourcefull and adaptable man i think that he desereves his own video

[@reynoldhadaway3546]

This story should be made into a movie.

[@regular-joe]

The ads in the middle of the video didn't cut him off midsentence, as so many do - thumbs up for that. As well as for the variety of portraits of Metternich at different stages in life, and the great overall content and analysis.

[@Hela03]

Well that was a.... different title

[@kcbh24]

Yes.. it's amazing what may be accomplished when one has a colorful, brilliant vocabulary. The world should take note.

[@juliemorrison8180]

The description of the Congress of Vienna #2 made me wish for a time machine.

[@mmescarlettziegfieldvonbis4551]

Yeah, some dude who's name I cant remember said that the Congress is not doing anything it's dancing.

[@squamish4244]

This show did Metternich, now it should do Talleyrand. Two phenomenal diplomats who established an order that endured for 100 years, alive at the same time.

[@amberkelly8055]

Love the title! Definitely caught my eye.

[@Biographics]

Good. We are trying something new.

[@miabhanage]

It's been like 4 videos per week now keep em coming loved this one as well!

[@CuteDwarf11]

I love how these videos reveal the true stories of the people being discussed, never sugarcoating the negative details, and even calling several of them out while also managing to be pretty funny.

[@Geep615]

Post WW1 Europe could have done with a Metternich

[@lisakaz35]

I think someone at Versailles thought about that but the public and some reps there were so against Germany and so determined with their animosity that it didn't happen. This is a danger when the public/mob/popular will has sway over diplomacy. Metternich didn't have to deal with this. If you read Jane Austen, you can hardly tell these wars exist when they might have. The scale of warfare (so popular input) was different.

[@ThatFanBoyGuy]

Or an Otto von Bismarck

[@shelbynamels973]

@@lisakaz35 It would be interesting for somebody to do a video comparing the (relative) success of Vienna with the absolute failure of Versailles, considering that even today we are living with the effects of the ill-considered Sykes-Picault agreement. Maybe re-arranging the map on a global scale was just too monumental a task.

[@lisakaz35]

@@shelbynamels973 Good point. Seems a lot of map drawing hasn't moved much since WWII. I think.

[@shelbynamels973]

@@lisakaz35 Damnit, lost my post. To summarize in brief, there was a lot of movement not just in Germany and Austria, but also in the Middle East, Africa, and not to forget, Vietnam. Wished I could go into detail, but I gotta run. Sorry.

[@GeorgePerakis]

Do a video on the man who opposed Metternich and toppled the Ottomans, the Father of Greek Independence, Alexander Ypsilantis, or his greatest ally in Russian court and first head of the modern Greek State, Ioannis Kapodistrias.

[@persebra]

there is a town here in Michigan, U.S., named Ypsilanti. Until you posted your comment, I had no idea it was a Greek name. it turns out that it was named after your homeboy's brother. "The name was later changed to Ypsilanti in 1829 in honor of Demetrius Ypsilanti. Ypsilanti was a hero in the Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire."

[@kingbreloom2630]

Can you make a video on Zhang Xueliang or Chiang Kai-Shiek The first one is considered noble by many Chinese and even some Taiwanese.

[@charlesphiri264]

King Breloom 👍

[@markdillon7543]

Chiang Kai-Shrek*

[@HSMiyamoto]

Isn't it ironic that Bismarck was the spiritual successor of Metternich? Both men sought to preserve European order by keeping historical adversaries reliably strong.

[@damiand7000]

Hannah Miyamoto hi Hannah

[@HSMiyamoto]

@@damiand7000 Hi, Charles!

[@viniciuscaldas6854]

who would be Talleyrand's spiritual successor?

[@giorgosmichael9142]

Metternich and Capodistria's animosity is better love story than Twilight.

[@scoundrel1680]

Bio! Do Simon Wiesenthal "The Nazi Hunter"! Such an amazingly inspirational person in history who has very little coverage about him. Thanks for the amazing content :)

[@DomyTheMad420]

I freaking LOVE that guys' story. Id love a video on this!

[@scoundrel1680]

Domyras same!!

[@mielerodriguez5678]

Oh God. I so sick of holocaust stuff. Everyday it's rammed down our throats. I'm sick to death of it. Other genocides are available.

[@billygoats804]

I thought you were going to say Simon Whistler. Which would actually be pretty funny. Autobiography Now.

[@kcbh24]

@@mielerodriguez5678 yes, it is. You're going to have to deal with it. Why don't you make your own KZbin channel and do videos on all the genocides?

[@virkez010]

0:15 you know, he's technically not wrong about Europe going through a huge transition in 1945 but... methinks Simon got the wrong century

[@Recon3Y3z]

Today I found out on TopTenz... "IT'S TOO BAD REALLY."" 😂😂😂

[@nemanjastojanovic3750]

Haha the funny thing is I am from Vienna and I live in Metternich Street

[@stevewakefield7198]

Did you know the origin before now?

[@nemanjastojanovic3750]

Of course I did. He is kinda a big personality here in Austria

[@mariemorin4788]

Ok, it was like my Modern Europe classes but in 20 minutes. Nice video.

Please Do a video on Robert "Bob" Denard, alias Gilbert Bourgeaud and Saïd Mustapha Mhadjou,was a French soldier and mercenary. Having served with the French Navy in the Algerian War, the ardently anti-communist Denard took part in the Katanga secession effort in the 1960s and subsequently operated in many African countries including Congo, Angola, Rhodesia (today Zimbabwe), and Gabon. Between 1975 and 1995, he participated in four coup attempts in the Comoro Islands. It is widely believed that his adventures had the implicit support of the French state, even after the 1981 election of the French Socialist Party candidate, François Mitterrand, despite moderate changes in France's policy in Africa

[@reyreyes7285]

Your videos are amazing.

[@robmil6444]

My OCR history paper was on his impact on German revolution few weeks too late...

[@robmil6444]

If anyone else did that paper, the interpretation is being reviewed for having been too difficult

[@HerrKendys_Kulturkanal]

"Silly clothes"

[@rustyhumanbeing]

Please do Terence McKenna. He was one of the greatest psychedelic thinkers of any time, including ours. His call for an archaic revival and his warning about succumbing to culture is exactly what is needed in these troubled times.

[@michaelbatts5655]

Another excellent(and humorously witty! Love it!) daily dose of history, Professor Whistler!

[@Mj-fx9no]

And thank you your video about metternich is amazing

[@aaronbonogofsky4463]

You should do a biographic on Simo Hayha, confirmed 505 sniper kills against the Soviet Union during the Winter War. Great job on your lyudmila pavlichenko bio!

[@CrashingCrockery]

Oh my stars I do not even HEAR these after about the first two minutes as I am so taken with Simon's truly powerful and brilliantly coifed chest hair. Truly a male to behold (or BE held...)

[@foxyshabazz]

In March 1814 Napoloeon was still just about in power. His return from Elba was March 1815.

[@lps2013]

Hello @Biographics team I’dd love to see something about Kurt Landauer, a former jewish president off Bayern Munich before and after the second world war. Under his leadership they became german champions for the first time in 1932 and he was Jewish which ment that he had to step down a year later because it was getting a bit to dangerous but he kept doing his job in the background. He was later captured by the nazis and was transported to Dachau where he was allowed to leave because I believe that he got a medal in the first world war but the nazis did kill his siblings in a concentration camp. He then escaped to switserland. Later in a friendly game in switserland, the players were explicitly told beforehand not to seek contact with their former club president or there would be consequences. (sidenote, the Bayern Munich captain burried the silverwhere they had won in his garden so the nazis couldn’t take it away from them) After the game they spotted him in the stands and many of the players linded up in front of him and started clapping to show their support. I think that those players were then punished by being sent to the front lines because someone of the nazi government saw this open act of resistance. After the war he initially wanted to leave to America but eventually decided to go back to Munich and rebuild the club. He made it possible to play football again and rebuild the stadium together with 1860 Munich (which supported the nazis during the war) at the Grünwalder Strasse where now the stadium is shared between 1860 and Bayern Munichs second team. I think that is a very interesting story and I am a fan off the football club so so I dd'love to see something about it.

[@fnzypnts]

There is so much that happened during this time. I love how you don't only talk about a single person but their cause and effect and others who played a big part in that. You're channel is awesome!

[@ben5056]

Correction: Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo by the British and Prussians not the Russians

[@jimothyhimony]

I love your channel.

[@kathleenstewart409]

Castlereagh is one I'd like to know more about.

[@nyazmustafa8994]

Thank you for the lecture. Can you make a video for Charles M. Talleyrand-Périgord appreciated !

[@tianx9275]

Considering the status of Austria after Napoleonic war and how it is still not a country that faded into obscurity, Metternich is probably the greatest diplomat even up to this day.

[@josephteller9715]

Thank You. An excellent video that covers both the man and the events that are totally ignored by American schools (They mention Napoleon at best in regards to the Louisiana Purchase and the War of 1812, which were sideshows at best to what leads to the Treaty, and almost never cover the treaty and what follows as they get too self focused).

[@angelsaltamontes7336]

Fortunately for Simon, and the entire team including ourselves, there 's more history to ignore all the time and American schools are aggressively ignoring it.

[@jonathanallard2128]

15:50 Wait did you say the Russians? It was the Prussians my man.

[@Awksheeta]

Yh! u r right

[@leahdavis3898]

You should do one on Catherine De Medici

[@MonteCristoAUS]

Have you ever thought about doing a biography of Talleyrand? It would make a good counter to this one

[@vivek27789]

That motherfuckin son of a snake.😂😂😂😂😂

[@stevecannon1774]

Would love an episode on Albert Schweitzer. A great man with a philosophy that I wish more today were familiar with. It could change the world if kids learned about him in school.

[@angelsaltamontes7336]

I agree with you about Dr. S., but hold no optimism re your hopeful conclusion. Education is old-school, man.

[@donaldwhittaker7987]

Good summary. Good pix of the principals. Thank you.

[@Haze-Li]

I love your channel it's awesome and I watch all new videos as soon as they come out

[@keelyleilani1326]

The Napoleon miniseries from 2002 has Metternich and Talleyrand both in it. It's a historically accurate movie and well worth watching.

[@gaylonjohnson904]

Love the videos Simon!! Keep up the great work

[@iPLAYv5]

I would like if you made a biography about Talleyrand.

[@mattinnj979]

One of the heroes of Western Civilization

[@mariaeguchi1533]

Thank you! I'll be Metternich in a MUN session and this is so helpful1

[@bytheway1031]

🎂Prince Metternich 05-15-2022

[@freddieellis8449]

“As I said to Vice-Chancellor Metternich at the Congress of Strasbourg - POO TO YOU WITH NOBS ON! - We shall meet, sirs at the hustings!” - Pitt the Younger. (Actually a quote from Blackadder! 😂😂😂)

[@HSMiyamoto]

I had to see this video because I had heard of Metternich in college, but never learned why he is famous.

[@state_song_xprt]

Loving the Great European Statesmen of the 19th Century series. Do Tsar Alexander II next!

[@Aldarinn]

I remember suggesting this. Thank you so much Simon

[@mathiass1999]

This is actually making me appreciate the European Union.

[@frankoldham6176]

GREAT SHOWS!!!

[@happy-go-commie]

"Yet one of of..." in the title. Please correct. Lots of commenters saying they haven't heard of this guy. He was essential reading after the post-Napoleonic era of Europe. We studied him in high school World History ffs. In a school in Southeast Asia. And they look down on our education system for cying out loud.

[@Mj-fx9no]

Man this guy's full name is so long even the king of Saudi Arabia's full name does not get even close to this

[@davidkiabel1765]

I'd love to see your analysis of Metternich's contemporary, Talleyrand.

[@grmpEqweer]

This was a good one. Thanks, guys.

[@andrewjoeljackson4653]

My suggestion on a future biographics: Dutty Boukman, one of the key players in the Haitian Revolution

[@miriamfahim9899]

Please please please do Edgar Allen Poe!! I would adore it!

[@daveherbert6215]

Really liked this video. I tend to gi for people who I know only a little about. How about a video on the explorer Alexander Humboldt

[@lunaire1106]

There's actually a secco named Fürst von Metternich in Germany and it even has his picture on it :D

[@Icebassh]

Hi Biographics, really great work. Since you mentioned Talleyrand, can we do him next please?

[@ljd6245]

You should think about making a video about Adam Jerzy Czartoryski (1770-1861), a Polish-born high-ranking diplomat of the Russian Empire who was also present at the Congress of Vienna. He had a very long and eventful life, eventually turning against the Russians and fighting for the rebirth of Poland from Paris.

[@nelliethursday1812]

Please do Elizabeth Feodorovana the sister to the last Tsarina of Russia thank you

[@mmescarlettziegfieldvonbis4551]

Boy, did the Russian heirs love to marry German lady's.

[@seraphthegatekeeper]

Anellecloset Od Oblaka if you’ve known a number of German women, you’ll understand. I had a friend of mine from Russia who made a bee line to an ex-girlfriend from high school without realizing that she was very German. I laughed about a little bit once I learned more about European history.

[@mmescarlettziegfieldvonbis4551]

@@seraphthegatekeeper Now you've definitely made me even more interested. I was thinking very straightforward; she was a princess, she was lovely, things done. Can you please elaborate a bit?

[@franciscomm7675]

It started with tsar paul in 1776

[@johnbockman6078]

Many of the 1848 revolutionaries in Germany emigrated to the US and brought their ideals of freedom and justice into the US Civil War.

[@donsandsii4642]

Tellyrand needs a video. He remained in power through all the French wars still on top

[@papa_puff4933]

I’ve been waiting for this one thank you so much!!!!!!

[@thatboiliam4583]

I want a Simon bio damnit

[@UCSPanther20]

Metternich may not have only created a political order in Europe that endured up until WWI, but he will also be remembered for demonstrating why censorship is a double-edged sword. In more or less outlawing criticism, Metternich drove it underground and was only hearing what he wanted to hear, but it deafened his government to the groundswell of resentment that would blow up in 1848. Metternich probably figured that the rebels were only a small number of malcontents, hence his calling for the Austrian version of the Stasi to round up the signatories of a petition and calling for a brutal crackdown on protests, but was shocked when he learned how large and widespread the rage was against his Chancellorship.

[@dylansaucygingerz7205]

You should do a video on Olof Palme!

[@smc9108]

Thank you for filling in a few grey areas of my knowledge of 19th century Europe! Bravo as always!

[@napoleonbonaparteempereurd4676]

Ask me any questions on the Napoleonic Era if you wish. I'm very well versed in this area.

[@nadinehesham3407]

Thank you for this highly informative video. I'm studying a course on the development of international relations and I'm doing a paper on Metternich. This video has helped me a lot :)

[@PiggyPorkchop]

If we're ever able to make cyborgs there should be a law that all of them must be a carbon copy of Simon.

[@geekinutopia5899]

You mean robots? Cyborgs are part biological and part mechanical.

[@waverider8549]

Would you please cover the practical anarchist Nestor Makhno. Military innovator, peasant, exile, prisoner.

[@thebrocialist8300]

The fifth columnist

[@oekalaboekala]

Could you please make a bio on Robert Emmet, a young, highly intelligent, highly creative Irish patriot who died an early, tragic death after leading a failed rebellion against British rule in Ireland?

[@stevewakefield7198]

Not a part of history I knew much about. Thanks for the education!!

[@Zircillius]

Wait, Alexander wanted to liberate the Poles?? My Euro history isn't great, but didn't Russia partition and annex part of Poland 2 decades prior? Also, I remember reading that Napoleon's promise to restore the Polish state caused major friction between him and Alexander when they were "allies", as the latter (according to Andrew Roberts) was opposed to giving them back their country. Am confuse

[@joemckeon2834]

Please do Richard Feynmann next

[@adricortesia]

As a German, the only thing I knew about that guy was the sparkling wine named after him "Fürst von Metternich Riesling Sekt" so Thanks Simon for this video!

[@echalone]

Well, you got Nepomuk (because you simply misread it) and Beilstein a bit wrong, but the others were pretty spot on for someone who doesn't speak german ;)

[@shelbynamels973]

A quick search for an audio clip goes a long way. Just sayin ...

[@OldSkoolWax]

Lord Castlereagh was Irish. The chairs used in the Congress are in Mount Stewart house in County Down. Each nation had its own seat with it's own arms woven into it.

[@elliotjohns8534]

Around 4:30 it sounds like your talking about a mimic. Also you guys should do Gary Gygax.