Following Napoleon's defeat, his conquerors flocked to Vienna to hammer out a peace. These emperors, tsars, kings, and queens decided Europe's fate amid a shimmering baroque playground unrivaled in history for its decadence and political intrigue. This rich history of the Congress of Vienna dazzles with its politics and play, agendas and masquerades. "Richly narrated... a sensuous account of the conference that moves gracefully between negotiating tables, salons, and ballrooms."—San Francisco Chronicle