This volume investigates the legal and diplomatic frameworks established by the major European powers to maintain the balance of power throughout the nineteenth century. The author, Oakes, compiles and analyzes the primary texts of significant treaties that defined the geopolitical landscape following the Napoleonic Wars. By examining these documents, the work provides a structured overview of how international law and statecraft were utilized to mitigate conflict and manage territorial disputes among sovereign nations.

Historians and students of international relations frequently cite this work as a reliable reference for accessing the original language of nineteenth-century diplomatic accords. The text is noted for its objective presentation of primary source material, making it a foundational resource for researchers studying the evolution of European statecraft.