Public lecture and book discussion

The Holy Alliance is often remembered as a byword for conspiratorial reaction. But what was its original idea and how and why was it transformed over time?

Join us for a discussion of Isaac Nakhimovsky’s (Yale University) groundbreaking new book, The Holy Alliance: Liberalism and the Politics of Federation, which uncovers the Enlightenment roots of this post-Napoleonic initiative. Originally embraced by early nineteenth-century liberals as the beginning of a federated Europe and a new era of peace and prosperity, the Holy Alliance underwent a more complex history—one that helps us understand both the appeal and the pitfalls of federative visions beyond the nation-state.

Nakhimovsky explores how the Holy Alliance intersected with constitutional thought, anti-slavery movements, and dreams of perpetual peace—and how it became both a symbol of progressive federation and reactionary entrenchment. His work highlights the contradictory expectations placed on Russia’s role in this process and prompts reflection on how these dynamics might appear from a Baltic perspective. Drawing connections from the League of Nations to Cold War geopolitics, it invites us to reconsider how past federal projects can shed light on contemporary global challenges.

Nakhimovsky’s public lecture and the ensuing book discussion is an event for anyone interested in political thought, international order, and the shifting boundary between emancipation and empire.

Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the past futures of Europe—and what they might mean for our own!

Additional information: Prof. Eva Piirimäe, eva.piirimae@ut.ee