Ephemerality on the Fringe. Exploring the Venues Hosting Power Quadrilles in Brussels on the Eve of Waterloo and Beyond (1814–1816)

Abstract

 After Napoleon’s escape from Elba, the Congress at Vienna stalled and Brussels temporarily became the political and military capital of Europe. The use of ephemerality is well documented for the Congress, much less so for Brussels on the eve of the battle of Waterloo. What eyewitness accounts do agree on for both cities is that everybody went dance mad. In Brussels, the troops of the ninth coalition that were to defeat Napoleon, famously rode ‘dancing into battle’. Politically speaking, there was ample reason to have pomp and circumstance. The House of Orange-Nassau did not have much credit in Brussels and needed to establish itself. As social climbers, they heavy-handedly used ephemeral means of propaganda to support their wobbly throne. This article discusses the ephemeral ballrooms that were constructed for the official celebrations of their restoration monarchy between 1814 and 1816.