From Suppressing The Irish Rebellion To Keeping The Balance Of Exploring On The Diplomatic Thought Of Lord Castlereagh

Lord Castlereagh(1769-1822), a famous British politician and diplomat, had exhibited an extraordinary political insight and far-sight in his early political life, which had first shown in suppressing Irish rebellion promoting the Union of Britain and Ireland. However, his most eminent political contribution lies in the promotion of cooperation of European powers in the final downfall of Napoleon Bonaparte’s continental hegemony and subsequent "Conceit of Europe" and "the Fixed Conference", which had set an example in the establishment of political conflict in international relations. His foreign policy, under the guidance of the creed "Balance of Power", was in essence a peaceful foreign policy. Besides, it was a fact that often was ignored is his very trust and support of Lord Castlereagh that led to the defeat of Napoleon and subsequent honor and wealth of the Duke of Wellington. His diplomatic thought went beyond his peers and even his times.In the late18th century, British foreign policy followed the core creed of "Balance of Power" and concentrated on the British Isles and its colonies, isolating itself from the rest of Europe. However, the outbreak of French Revolution and subsequently Napoleon Bonaparte’s military success in numerous battles in European battlefield laid ruins to the hopes of British isolation. The balance had been broken, the emerging threat both from at home and abroad, the frightening possibility of French aid to the independence of Ireland brought an imperative need to change its foreign policy. Britain responded by gruesome massacres of rebels in the Irish rebellions at home and allied itself with European Powers in the European continent After the downfall of Napoleon Bonaparte, Lord Castlereagh designed and proposed a form of collective and collaborative security for Europe, known as "Concert of Europe" and "the Fixed Conference"(Congress system), and thus restored the peace of European order, In some way, the subsequent peace for almost40years (until broken by Otto von Bismarck’s Unification war efforts) was due to him. As Keeper of Privy Seal in Ireland (Chief Secretary for Ireland)(1797), Secretary of State for War and the Colonies (1805), British Foreign Secretary(1812), Lord Castlereagh strongly influenced the British foreign policies in the late18th century and the early19th century.My paper is divided into three chapters:Chapter One mainly introduces the early life and career of Lord Castlereagh, especially his indispensible role in putting down the the Irish Rebellion of1798and securing the passage of the Irish Act of Union of1800, which helped laid the foundation for his succeeding success. Chapter Two discusses the negotiating the quadruple alliance between Britain, Austria, Russia, and Prussia and the succeeding downfall of First French Empire; the Congress of Vienna and his proposal of "Concert of Europe" and "the Fixed Conference"(Congress System), the abolish of SlaveTrade, is also considered in details. Chapter Three first introduces the background of Lord Castlereagh;then explains some personal evaluation about Lord Castlereagh, and the minor changes his successor George Canning is brought to the foreign policies; lastly, giving some of my comments on his historical influence in the practice of British Foreign Policy and its international influence.