This comment by Prince Metternich suggested that events in France frequently inspire Europeans elsewhere. This phrase was inspired by the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Era, both of which Metternich lived through and saw the global implications of (that even affected his home country of Austria).
He was born Karl von Metternich-Winneburg in Prague, then part of the Austrian Empire. His father was a high-ranking official in the Austrian government and his mother came from an old German noble family. He had two older brothers who also became prominent politicians. When Karl was only nine years old, his father was appointed governor of Vienna, so the young family moved to Austria's capital city. There, Karl's father continued to rise through the government bureaucracy until he was made prince-bishop of Seckau in Moravia at the age of 36. The bishop's job was not very powerful but it did give its holder access to a large sum of money which they needed to live on since neither brother was interested in politics or administration.
When Karl Metternich was still a child, his parents died in a carriage accident. Since his father was now prince-bishop of Seckau, all their possessions passed to him. The young boy went to live with one of his parents' relatives in Vienna while his other parent returned to her family estate in Germany.
What did Prince Metternich mean when he said this? Individuals in France are more prone to become ill than people in other countries. Events in France frequently influence Europeans abroad. What happens in France seldom crosses boundaries. All harmful occurrences in Europe begin with France.
France has a number of natural disasters, which have caused the death of many people over the years. Earthquakes, floods, and storms are all part of life in France. However, most tragedies occur due to human intervention- either through negligence or malice. In 1812, an epidemic of typhus broke out in Paris that killed one third of the city's population. During World War II, Nazi Germany conducted experiments on prisoners at several locations in France. These experiments involved infecting them with diseases such as tuberculosis and hepatitis in an attempt to find cures for these illnesses. More recently, toxic chemicals have been found in the soil and food supply around France. These discoveries have led scientists to question whetheror not contaminants found in French soil could be responsible for reducing the lifespan of French people.
Prince Metternich was speaking about events that happen regularly in France. He meant that what happens in France is likely to affect people outside of its borders. This is because France is a large country that others countries can also be affected by events occurring there.
To summarize Metternich's importance in Europe, it is appropriate to state that, on a global scale, Metternich made significant contributions to containing the spread of revolutionary ideas in Europe and maintaining European peace by holding congresses, preventing French upheaval, and containing Russian ambition, and...
... he also played a role in the formation of many countries in Europe. For example, he helped form modern-day Austria, Italy, and Switzerland. However, his main contribution to Europe was his work for stability within the continent.
Metternich's influence on Europe can be seen in the fact that his ideas on keeping peace among nations with different ideologies continue to play a role today. For example, his idea of having conferences to discuss issues between countries has become common practice at the United Nations.
Additionally, his methods for containing revolution and maintaining order as well as his understanding of how national interests affect policy decisions are still used today by world leaders who want to avoid conflict or instability within their borders.
Metternich's influence on world politics is evident from the fact that members of several royal families throughout Europe were married into other royal families through treaties arranged by Metternich. For example, King Ludwig II of Bavaria was married to Marie von Anhalt-Zerbst. This marriage added strength to the relationship between Bavaria and Prussia - two of the most powerful states in Germany at the time.