A Priceless Grace? The Congress of Vienna of 1815, the Ottoman Empire and Historicising the Eastern Question

Abstract The budding scholarship on the Congress of Vienna has devoted limited attention to ‘Eastern Question’ in 1810s. Even though issue (non-) involvement Ottoman Empire new European state system previously received mention, rational and emotional factors that informed decisions taken by cabinet at time have never been analysed detail. Using unexplored Ottoman, Russian, British French archival sources, this article historicises 1810s, when a transimperial order was formed. It documents attempts ensure security territories public law, demonstrates that, although involving Russo-Ottoman disputes negotiations initially an proposal, it again Sublime Porte ultimately rejected it. discusses why became case, tracing answer diverse relational dynamics such as conflicts cabinet, rivalries among Great Powers, endeavours secure commercial interests return for warranting regional stability.