A Prettier Little Congress

"Have you ever seen
A prettier little Congress
Than this Congress at Aix La Chapelle?"

"Have you ever seen
Faces more noble
Manners more courtly
Bearing more stately!"



Aix-La-Chapelle was considered the Byzantine capitol of Europe. The German name for the city is Aachen.

Charlemagne chose the capitol for the imperial court because of its nice warm springs and its central location bordering Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. The remains of Charlemagne are said to be buried here.

Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire were often crowned here when they couldn't get to Rome.



Pippin, the Younger , of the musical PIPPIN, spent Christmas and Easter here in 765 and Charlemagne made it his home from 792-814.

It has been the sight of three major Treaties and three Congresses.

The Congress of Aix-La-Chapelle in The Rothschild's song above was held in the autumn of 1818. It was primarily a meeting of the four allied powers: Britain, Austria, Prussia and Russia attended by amongst others Prince Metternich of Austria, the Duke of Wellington, Alexander I of Russia and Frederic Wilhelm III, King of Prussia.

The Congress was held to discuss the withdrawal of the army of occupation from France.