600 Ch. 15 • Liberal Challenges To Restoration Europe

In early October 1830, a provisional government declared Belgium inde­
pendence. A Belgian Congress offered the throne to one of Louis-Philippe’s
sons, but he was forced to decline because Britain would not tolerate such
French influence in Belgium. The Congress then offered the throne to a Ger­
man prince, Leopold of Saxe-Coburg (who was a British subject, the widower
of Princess Charlotte of England). Leopold was crowned King Leopold I
(ruled 1831-1865) in July 1831. The European powers guaranteed Bel­
gium’s independence, and when the Dutch took Antwerp in August 1831,
French military intervention returned that city to the new nation. Belgium
became a constitutional monarchy with a parliament of two houses, both
elected by about one of every thirty males.

Liberal Successes in Switzerland

Another liberal success came in Switzerland, which the Congress of Vienna
had reestablished as a federation of semi-autonomous cantons. Because of
Switzerland’s long tradition of decentralized government, the allies had
been willing to tolerate a constitution that allowed relatively extensive polit­
ical freedoms. However, fearing that some cantons might become havens of
liberalism, the Congress powers forced the Swiss cantons in 1823 to
restrict freedom of the press and curtail the activities of foreign political

exiles.

The 1830 revolution in France inspired the quest for constitutional guar­

antees of freedom, more efficient government, and limits on the political

influence of Protestant and Catholic clergy in Switzerland. In December

1830 the federal Diet initiated a period of “regeneration.” The constitutions

of ten cantons were liberalized, guaranteeing freedom of expression and giv­

ing all adult men the right to vote, a victory unique at that time.

But Metternich was not far away. Austria pressured the German-speaking

Swiss cantons to oppose secularization. During the winter of 1844-1845,

when the canton of Lucerne announced that the Jesuit order would again

be welcome within its borders, liberals rebelled. Seven Catholic cantons

withdrew from the Swiss Confederation, forming a separate league (Sow­

derbund). In 1847, the other cantons declared war on the Sonderbund and,

in what amounted to little more than a skirmish, defeated the Catholic can­

tons within a month. In 1848, Switzerland adopted a new liberal constitu­

tion, becoming a federal state with universal male suffrage.

Nationalist Dreams

Nationalism also gradually emerged as a force for change in Central and

Eastern Europe within the context of multinational empires. Nationalism was

closely tied to liberalism in that exponents of both ideologies demanded far­

reaching political change that threatened the state systems (see Map 15.3).