Stirrings of Revolt^589

Nationalist German students in 1817 burning books and other objects

deemed anti-patriotic.

of Austria and Frederick William III of Prussia to impose the Carlsbad
Decrees, which the Diet of the German Confederation unanimously
accepted. These muzzled the press and dissolved the student fraternities.
Teachers fired in one state were to be blacklisted in other member states.

Metternich convinced Frederick William to renounce any form of “univer­

sal representation” in his kingdom. The episode seemed to clinch Metter­

nich’s victory over constitutionalism in the German states.

Cracks in the Congress of Europe: The Greek Revolt

The Greek revolt in 1821 against the Ottoman Turks shattered the Con­

gress system. Austria and, above all, Russia hoped to extend their influence

in the Balkans at the expense of the Ottoman Empire. In the late eigh­

teenth century, Catherine the Great had seen Russia's role in the Balkans

as protecting Christians there against the Islamic Turks. Moreover, Russ­

ian nationalists coveted Constantinople, the gateway to Asia and the Black

Sea. Britain feared a potential threat to British control of India and was

wary of Russian influence in Afghanistan. Austria, threatened by Russian

interest in the Balkans, also feared Russian designs on Constantinople.

The Greek revolt put the Congress powers in a bind. Christian Europe tra­

ditionally considered the Turks savage infidels. But, at the same time, the

Congress powers had to recognize the Ottoman Empire as the historically