German Confederation

The German Confederation (German: Deutscher Bund) was a loose association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to organize the surviving states of the Holy Roman Empire, which had been abolished in 1806.

Related Topics:
German - Central European - Congress of Vienna - 1815 - Holy Roman Empire - 1806

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Between 1806 and 1815, Napoleon had organised the states into the Confederation of the Rhine, but this collapsed when his Russian campaign failed in 1813.

Related Topics:
Napoleon - Confederation of the Rhine - Russia - 1813

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The German Confederation had roughly the same boundaries as the Empire at the time of the French Revolution (less what is now Belgium). The member states, drastically reduced to about three dozen from more than 200 under the Empire, were recognized as fully sovereign. The members pledged themselves to mutual defence, and jointly maintained the fortresses at Mainz, the city of Luxembourg, Rastatt, Ulm, and Landau. A federal diet under Austrian presidency met at Frankfurt.

Related Topics:
French Revolution - Belgium - Member states - Mainz - The city of Luxembourg - Rastatt - Ulm - Landau - Diet - Frankfurt

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The Confederation was dissolved in 1866 after the Austro-Prussian War, and was succeeded by Prussia's North German Confederation. All the constituent states of the German Confederation became part of the German Empire in 1871, except Austria, Luxembourg, Limburg, and Liechtenstein.

Related Topics:
Austro-Prussian War - Prussia - North German Confederation - German Empire - Austria - Luxembourg - Limburg - Liechtenstein

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