Final answer:
Klemens von Metternich was the foreign minister and diplomat who dominated the Congress of Vienna. The Congress aimed to maintain European peace and stability following Napoléon's defeat. Metternich's approach embodied conservative ideals, including the restoration of overthrown monarchs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The foreign minister and diplomat who dominated the Congress of Vienna was Klemens von Metternich. Metternich, along with diplomats from Prussia, Russia, and Great Britain, participated in the Congress of Vienna with the purpose of maintaining peace and stability in Europe following Napoléon's defeat. Guided by the principles of conservatism, Metternich emphasized the need to restore the legitimacy of overthrown monarchs in a bid to uphold traditional beliefs and institutions.
Metternich and the other conservative leaders sought to prevent future revolutions and maintain a balance of power to avoid any one nation from dominating others. This was a reaction to the Napoleonic Wars where Napoléon sought to expand French power over much of Europe. The Congress of Vienna held in 1814-1815 was a significant event where Metternich played a crucial role in shaping the strategies to contain France and restore order through conservative political regimes.
However, it is important to note that these conservative leaders underestimated the support for the ideologies of liberalism and nationalism, which had gained irreversible momentum in places like the United States and France.
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