19th century: Encyclopedia II - 19th century - Europe

19th century - Europe

In 1801, the Irish parliament voted to merge Ireland with England, thus creating the United Kingdom. Ireland remained under total British control until 1922, when the majority of the Irish counties, and the majority of the Irish population, broke away from England, forming the Irish Free State. The northern counties remained loyal to British control, and to this day remain separate from the rest of Ireland as Northern Ireland.

On May 17th, 1814, Norway left Danish control and declared independence. It was forced, however, to continue a personal union with Sweden, but retained its liberal constitution. Growing Norwegian nationalism and pride would continue throughout the century, until the nation finally obtained full independence in 1905.

The start of the 19th century was also marked by a struggle between France and Britain and their allies for control of Europe and the world during the Napoleonic Wars, with Napoleon being finally defeated at Waterloo in 1815.

Also in 1815, Greenland officially left Norwegian control and entered Danish control.

In 1821, Greece declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire, but would not win the ensuing war until 1829.

The Victorian era of Great Britain is considered the height of the British industrial revolution and the apex of the British Empire. It is often defined as the years from 1837 to 1901, when Queen Victoria reigned. The revolution led to the rise of railways across the country and massive leaps forward in engineering. The London Underground was opened, and incandescent electric lights were introduced to London streets.

There were many revolutions in Europe in 1848, which had been influenced by the French Revolution. Furthermore, the later end of the century was dominated by what many call the New Imperialism, which was the rapid acquisition of colonies worldwide by European powers; most noteworthy is the Scramble for Africa.

Many countries in Europe underwent an Industrial Revolution, especially Germany, that spread elsewhere by the end of the century, with factories and railway lines built all over the continent.

Although the romantic influence is present throughout the Victorian Era, there is a visible decline by mid-century: many scientific discoveries in part effected by the industrial Revolution, as Darwin's evolutionism (The Origin of Species, 1859) and French philosopher Auguste Comte inaugurate a new rationalism (positivism), whose literary spinoff is naturalism. Its theory, dominated by determinism and genetics emphasize the importance of the environment in shaping man and the new French novels, as impressionism in art reflect the new vogue.

The Republic of Italy was founded on March 17, 1861. King Victor Emmanuel II succeeded in uniting the Italian states of the peninsula into one nation. Count Camillo Benso di Cavour and especially Giuseppe Garibaldi played a major role in achieving the unification. The city of Rome remained under Papal control until 1870, when the Italian Army made its way into the Vatican State throught the Breach of Porta Pia. Rome was annexed, but the Pope refused to sign a treaty and sought refuge in Castel Gandolfo from where he launched his interdetto, forbidding Italian Catholics from participating in political life on pain of excommunication. The Trentino and South Tyrol would be annexed in the following century, after 1918, thereby ending the unification process as planned by the Savoy Dynasty under Victor Immanuel II.

In 1871, the German Empire was formed from Prussia and the North German Confederation by Otto von Bismarck. This powerful nation would last until 1918, and become known as the Second Reich. Bismark acquired many new provinces in a series of short and diplomatically ingenious wars. He allied with Austria to defeat Denmark, and seize the Schleswig-Holstein area. He started and won the Austro-Prussian War, but only to get Italy on the side of Germany. Prussia then entered the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71), completely crushing France. As a final insult to the French, Wilhelm I was sworn in as German Emperor at the Palace of Versailles, in the heart of Paris. Against Bismarck's wishes, however, Prussia seized the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine, embittering the French. The German Empire would continue to thrive until the end of WWI, when France obtained retribution in the Treaty of Versailles.

In 1878, the Treaty of San Stefano gave independence to Romania, Serbia and Montenegro. Bulgaria was also made an autonomous principality. This was all possible due to the Russian defeat of the Ottoman Empire in the Russo-Turkish War 1877-1878. The Congress of Berlin, held later that same year, would once again increase Muslim power in the regions, lightening the Russian victory.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Europe", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki