JOHANN PHILIPP KARL

JOSEPH

See also:

• JOHANN PHILIPP KARL JOSEPH STADION (1763—1824)

STADION (1763—1824)  , Austrian statesman, entered the diplomatic service and rose early to a high position . In 1790—1793 he was ambassador in London . After some years of retirement he was entrusted (1800) with a mission to the Prussian court, where he endeavoured in vain to effect an alliance with Austria . He had greater success as envoy at St Petersburg, where he played a large part in the formation of the third coalition against Napoleon (18o5) . Notwithstanding the failure of this alliance he was made foreign minister, and in conjunction with the archduke Charles pursued a policy of quiet preparation for a fresh trial of strength with France . In 18o8 he abandoned the policy of procrastination, and with the help of Metternich hastened the outbreak of a new war . The unfortunate results of the campaign of 1809 compelled his resignation; but in 1813 he was commissioned to negotiate the convention which finally overthrew Napoleon . The last ten years of his life were spent in a strenuous and partly successful attempt to reorganize the disordered finances of his country . See A . Beer, Zehn Jahre osterreichischer Politik, 1801—1810 (Leipzig, 1877); Die Finanzen Oesterreichs im I9 Jahrhundert (Prague, 1877) ; Krones, Zur Geschichte Oesterreichs, 1792—1876 (Gotha, 1886) .