Much of the action in this book takes place at the famous Congress of Vienna, which convened in the fall of 1814 in order to reorganize Europe after Napoleon’s exile to the isle of Elba. The gathering, an unprecedented convocation of rulers, influential diplomats and their entourages, was meant to be a grand ending and a grand beginning—the movers and shakers were looking to close the book on the strife and upheavals of the Napoleonic Wars and begin a new chapter of world peace. (In many ways, it was the precursor to the United Nations.) Countless books have been written on the complex negotiations and their ramifications—Henry Kissinger wrote his PhD thesis on the Congress—so I won’t attempt to delve into its nuances. Suffice it to say, it was an extraordinary attempt to consider a vast range of issues, both political and social, and to structure a “balance of power” to ensure that there would not be another world war. For those of you interested in an an overview of both the people and the politics, I highly recommend Vienna, 1814 by David King and Rites of Peace by Adam Zamoyski. In addition, Talleyrand, the classic biography by Duff Cooper, provides a fascinating look at the era.
Many real people play minor roles in the book, for the cast of colorful real-life characters at the Congress of Vienna makes truth appear stranger than fiction. Prince Metternich, the powerful Austrian Foreign Minister, was a savvy negotiator, a polished diplomat—and a rakish lady’s man. Prince Talleyrand, the worldly and sybaritic French Foreign Minister, was perhaps the most brilliant—and cunning—statesman of the era. He really did bring the famous chef Antoine Carême to Vienna with him, not only for his own pleasure but to butter up potential supporters of French interests over sumptuous dinners and desserts. (At one point he wrote to Paris and wryly said he needed more saucepans, not more secretaries.) And then there was Tsar Alexander I of Russia. It seems he was also determined to seduce every female within arm’s reach. One of my favorite anecdotes involves him seeing the wife of a prominent diplomat at a party. As she was alone, he sidled up and asked if he could occupy her husband’s place for the evening—to which she replied coolly, “Does Your Majesty take me for a province?”
I have tried to stay true to their character in my story, and all the descriptions of the parties and the Carrousel are based on actual events. However, I have taken a few liberties with history. The Duke of Wellington was indeed serving as Great Britain’s representation in Paris at the time, and later replaced Castlereagh as the head envoy at the Congress of Vienna. But my having him make a secret visit to confer with Prince Talleyrand in Vienna is pure fiction, as is my elaborate assassination plot and the chemical concoction discovered by Saybrook and Henning.
I hope you have enjoyed the history behind The Cocoa Conspiracy. For more fun facts and arcane trivia, please visit my Web site at www.andreapenrose.com. I love to hear from my readers and can be contacted at andrea@andreapenrose.com.