Inventing Historical Europe (1815-1830)

In 1813-1815 the Napoleonic empire collapsed and a new European order had to be constructed. The past proved to be an important inspiration for ideas on the new post-napoleonic Europe. The early nineteenth century saw a rise in the publication of histories of Europe that either had a liberal or a conservative agenda. Taking François Guizot's 'History of civilization in Europe' (1828) as a starting point, I will investigate the 'invention' of the pluralist idea of European history in the aftermath of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Empire. More generally I will contend that an European past was created as a part of the political reconstruction of Europe after 1815.