Editing Klemens von Metternich (section)

===Dresden and Berlin===
The Holy Roman Empire's defeat in the [[War of the Second Coalition]] shook up diplomatic circles, and the promising Metternich was now offered a choice between three ministerial positions: to the [[Reichstag (Holy Roman Empire)|Imperial Diet]] at [[Regensburg]]; to the [[Denmark-Norway|Kingdom of Denmark]] at [[Copenhagen]]; or to the [[Electorate of Saxony]] at [[Dresden]]. He chose Dresden in late January 1801, and his appointment was officially announced in February. Metternich summered in Vienna, where he wrote his "Instructions", a memorandum showing a much greater understanding of statesmanship than his earlier writing. He visited the Königswart estate in the autumn before taking up his new position on 4 November.<ref name="palmer31" /> The subtleties of the memorandum were lost on the Saxon court, which was headed by the retiring [[Frederick Augustus I of Saxony|Frederick Augustus I]], a man with little political initiative. Despite the boredom of the court, Metternich enjoyed the light-hearted frivolity of the city and took up a mistress, [[Catherine Bagration|Princess Katharina Bagration-Mukhranska]], who bore him a daughter, [[Marie-Clementine Bagration|Marie-Clementine]]. In January 1803 Metternich and his wife had a child whom they named Viktor.<ref name="palmer31" /> In Dresden Metternich also made a number of important contacts including [[Friedrich Gentz]],<ref name="cecil85" /> a publicist who would serve Metternich as both confidant and critic for the next thirty years. He also established links with important Polish and French political figures.<ref name="palmer37">{{harvnb|Palmer|1972|pp=37–40}}</ref>

{{rquote|right|Count Metternich is young but by no means maladroit. We shall see how he shapes up in Berlin.|[[Colloredo-Mansfeld|Colloredo]] to [[Johann Amadeus von Thugut|Thugut]] {{harv|Palmer|1972|p=39}}}}

To compensate for the loss of the Metternich's ancestral estates in the [[Moselle valley]] when the French Republic annexed the west bank of the Rhine, the [[Reichsdeputationshauptschluss|Imperial Recess]] of 1803 brought Metternich's family new estates in [[Ochsenhausen]], the title of Prince, and a seat in the Imperial Diet. In the ensuing diplomatic reshuffle Metternich was appointed ambassador to the [[Kingdom of Prussia]], being notified of this in February 1803 and taking his position in November of that year.<ref name="palmer37"/>

He arrived in Prussia at a critical juncture in European diplomacy,<ref name="cecil85">{{harvnb|Cecil|1947|pp=85–87}}</ref> soon growing worried about the territorial ambitions of [[Napoleon Bonaparte]], newly the leader of France. This fear was shared by the Russian court under [[Alexander I of Russia|Alexander I]], and the Tsar kept Metternich informed of Russian policy. By autumn of 1804 Vienna decided on action entered into in August 1805 when the Austrian Empire (as the [[Habsburg monarchy]] was in the process of becoming)<ref name="cecil85"/> began its involvement in the [[War of the Third Coalition]]. Metternich's now almost impossible task was to convince Prussia to join the coalition against Bonaparte. Their eventual agreement was not due to Metternich, however, and after the coalition's defeat at the [[Battle of Austerlitz]], Prussia disregarded the agreement and signed a [[Treaty of Schönbrunn (1805)|treaty with the French]] instead.<ref>{{harvnb|Palmer|1972|pp=40–44}}</ref>