Robert Stewart 2nd Marquess of Londonderry

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Robert Stewart, 2nd Marquess of Londonderry (18 June 1769 - 12 August 1822), commonly known as Lord Castlereagh, was an Irish-British politician who played a pivotal role in shaping the course of European history. As British Foreign Secretary from 1812, he spearheaded the coalition that defeated Napoleon and served as Britain's chief diplomat at the Congress of Vienna. Castlereagh also led the British House of Commons in the Liverpool government from 1812 until his untimely death in August 1822. At the outset of his career, as Chief Secretary for Ireland, he was instrumental in suppressing the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and championed the passage of the Irish Act of Union of 1800. Castlereagh's greatest challenge at the foreign office lay in forging a united front against Napoleon, which required organizing and financing an alliance to bring about his downfall. He successfully convened the Treaty of Chaumont in 1814, uniting Napoleon's enemies under a common cause. Subsequently, he worked closely with European leaders at the Congress of Vienna to craft a peace settlement that would endure for generations. At Vienna, he skillfully employed his diplomatic acumen to prevent harsh terms against France, recognizing that such an approach would ultimately prove counterproductive. Castlereagh's primary objective was to create a lasting peace in Europe, which he believed could be achieved through the united efforts of the great powers. He remained vigilant regarding Britain's mercantile and imperial interests, acquiring the Cape Colony and Ceylon from the Netherlands while returning France's colonies but demanding that France relinquish its gains on the European continent since 1791. Furthermore, he worked tirelessly to abolish the international slave trade. Despite his diplomatic successes, Castlereagh was unable to avert the War of 1812 with the United States, which ultimately ended in a stalemate in 1814 without any changes to the border. Following Napoleon's defeat, Castlereagh took a hardline stance on domestic issues, imposing repressive measures that earned him widespread criticism for his attacks on liberty and reform. Historians have offered varying assessments of Castlereagh's legacy, but in 1919, diplomatic historians recommended his policies from 1814-1815 to the British delegation at the peace conferences that concluded the First World War. Historian Charles Webster perceptively noted the paradox inherent in Castlereagh's career: despite possessing a keen understanding of the desired outcomes, he consistently misjudged the means by which they could be achieved, ultimately compromising his effectiveness as a statesman.