ABSTRACT
In early November a fuller consideration of the allied proposals took place in Frankfurt am Main. This council of war was attended by the Emperor of Austria, Tsar Alexander, Metternich, Stadion, Nesselrode, Duka, Wolkonski, von Hardenberg, Humbolt, and Knesebeck; also Lord Cathcart, Lord Aberdeen and General Stewart; Pozzo di Borgo, the Corsican with a vendetta against Napoleon, who was now in the pay of the Tsar; and Stein, now in Russian service and chief administrator of all conquered territories. The council agreed that Baron St Aignan, brother-in-law to Caulaincourt and ambassador at the court of SaxeWeimar, should be sent to the Emperor to propose the confinement of France within the natural frontiers. If Napoleon would accept such a condition as a preliminary to a general peace, then Britain would compromise over free trade and shipping. It was further proposed that, while not stopping the prosecution of the war, a neutral area on the west bank of the Rhine would be declared as the venue for negotiation. The latter point was considered to be important, especially by Metternich, who did not believe that Napoleon would ever accept terms unless forced to do so by military defeat. He wrote as much to Caulaincourt on 20 November: 'Napoleon will make no peace, of that I am convinced, though nothing would make me happier than to find I am mistaken.' 4
Metternich would have been happy to be mistaken, chiefly because he still feared that the destruction of France would tilt the European balance of power too far in favour of Russia. So far, Russia had done well out of the war: Alexander had gained territory from Prussia in 1807, from Austria in 1809, Swedish Finland in 1809, and Turkish Bessarabia in 1811. The Tsar had now also re-conquered Poland, and Metternich clearly feared that Alexander might wish for more still,
perhaps at the expense of Austria. But all the signs were that Bonaparte would fight, thus continued allied unity was the overriding consideration.
