Clemens Wenzel Prince Metternich (1773-1859) experienced more than 20 years of war, which he perceived as the collapse of civilization. He prophetically foresaw that national striving for independence would bring even more bloodshed. As the author convincingly argues, both Metternich’s peace treaty and his repressive measures against threatening civil unrest are best understood in this context. Based on numerous new sources, Wolfram Siemann paints a lively portrait of this fascinating statesman: a traditional aristocrat and early industrial entrepreneur, Metternich admired the British constitution and venerated women, but failed as a reformer in a fragile multi-ethnic state. Without a doubt, this biography is a milestone: Metternich and the history of the 19^th century emerge in an entirely new light.