Chapter 130: Holy Roman Alliance
Chapter 128 – Holy Roman Alliance
Since everyone was fine with it, the plan to create the Austrian Economic Circle was naturally passed with a high vote.
Specifically how to implement, frankly Franz really do not know, the times are different, the country is different, a lot of things are not able to copy and paste.
Including pulling the little brother, have to go one by one to do the ideological work, may give each state promised benefits, are not the same.
Franz still believe in this point Metternich, after all, the “European Chancellor” experienced, balancing the interests of all parties is his skill.
In Franz’s view, this economic alliance can be turned into a political alliance and military alliance in the future, along with the economic development, the interests of all of them are bound together sooner or later.
It is important to save for a rainy day.
For example: the name of the alliance would have to be representative, and Franz felt that the Holy Roman Alliance was a good choice.
“Your Majesty, I’m afraid the Italian states would find it emotionally difficult to accept if it was named after Holy Rome.” Prime Minister Felix thought for a moment and said
“What if we put the headquarters of the alliance in Rome? It could even be placed next door to the Holy Vatican, with both Holy and Rome, there’s no problem with calling it that, right?” Franz asked rhetorically
Metternich dissuaded, “Your Majesty, placing the headquarters of the alliance in Rome, it damages the reputation of the empire in the alliance.”
Franz thought for a moment and said, “It doesn’t matter, the economic alliance essentially revolves around Austria, we already dominate, the reputational impact is minimal.
We can also send a signal to the outside world that this is merely an economic union, lowering the countries’ guard.
The name we can not have to put forward directly, call everyone together for a meeting to decide where to set up the headquarters, as long as Austria does not compete, what place can be more competitive than Rome?
When the headquarters is finalized, it would be good to have His Holiness propose the name, Pius IX will not refuse anything that can expand his influence.”
False names of gods and goddesses were the last thing he valued. If the headquarters of the Economic Alliance were to be placed in Vienna, even if everyone agreed, Franz would not dare to put up the banner of Holy Rome.
Don’t think that after so many years of the Holy Roman Empire’s demise, people don’t remember. European countries are very vigilant, Austria dares to show the intention of rebuilding the Holy Roman, do not want to have a good day in diplomacy.
Now this way to play a ball can also be, headquartered in Christendom’s holy land next door to the Vatican, both sacred and Roman, so called also said the past.
“Your Majesty, what is in it for us to do this?” Metternich asked suspiciously
Put another way, this was becoming a religious version of the Holy Roman League. Having nothing at all to do with the Holy Roman Empire of the Habsburgs, there didn’t seem to be much benefit to Austria.
“On the surface of course there is no benefit, but in reality the Holy Roman League and the Holy Roman Empire are just two words apart.
If the economy develops further, we can also have the media change the name in the future, such as calling it: the Holy Roman Economic Empire, or just the Holy Roman Empire.
These are the media’s own designations, they have nothing to do with us, and the governments of the states will have to hold their noses and recognize it if they have a problem with it.” Franz calmly explained
The Holy Roman Empire’s influence in Europe was far-reaching, especially in the German region, it was made the First German Empire and the only empire recognized by the German states.
This was a huge political resource left behind by the Habsburg dynasty, how could Franz not utilize it?
Called it more, people got used to it. Ordinary people do not have so much effort to distinguish the difference between this “Holy Roman Empire” and the other “Holy Roman Empire”.
When everyone recognized the Holy Roman Empire, the popular base for Austria’s annexation of the South German states was also available.
By means of economic bondage and political penetration, the merger could be accomplished without the use of force.
The only thing that cannot be faked is the weapon and the name.
The Battle of Zuo Zhuan
Franz this is to take advantage of the gap between the times to seize the right to the title, as long as Austria can grow and increase the advantage over the states, it can be a established fact.
People change their minds, and the unification of historical Italian regions and the unification of German regions was due to the idea of unification being deeply rooted in people’s minds.
Without this foundation, the Kingdom of Sardinia would not have been able to unify the Italian region; the Kingdom of Prussia would most likely have felt the pain of the Habsburg Dynasty, and would have been half-paralyzed by the German states and the United States outside the country.
Prime Minister Felix sneered, ”As long as the people of the German region recognize it, even if the governments of the states don’t want to recognize it, it’s not up to them at that time.
In order to avoid interference from outside forces, it would be best for us to act in secret, signing secret pacts with these states one by one first, and then announcing it to the public after the agreement has been reached.”
As a staunch Germanist, Prime Minister Felix was not willing to let go of any opportunity to expand into the German region.
In his opinion the Holy Roman League, or rather the Holy Roman Empire, was the perfect weapon to use to counteract the idea of Little Germany put forward by the Prussians.
If the power of Prussia and Austria continued to grow, there were only two paths left before the German states, either to join the Little Germany led by Prussia, or to join the Holy Roman Empire led by Austria.
That’s right, in the future it would not be the Holy Roman League, but the Holy Roman Empire.
Because of their religious beliefs, the North German states would most likely fall to the Kingdom of Prussia, but not so the South German states, which naturally favored Austria.
Under Franz’s influence, the voice of Austro-Prussian collaboration in dividing up the German regions had already appeared in Austria, and this voice did not only have a market in Austria, but also had no lack of supporters in Prussia.
Before the unification of Germany, the Prussians themselves could not believe that they could unify Germany, and Frederick William IV’s highest goal was only the annexation of North Germany.
Junker aristocrats have not been so bullish in later years, let them go to defeat Austria, France, it is estimated that not yet started the war one by one on the goat back.
It is not a question of whether to fight or not, but simply can not win.
Otherwise, in the middle and late Crimean War, the Kingdom of Prussia made a move, Britain, France and the Russians were caught in a bitter war, as long as they defeated Austria, they could unify the German region.
Don’t look at the latter days of the German army invincible, but that is the future not the present, the rise of the Kingdom of Prussia was only after the reforms of 1848, and then entered a period of rapid development.
It’s still a feudal dynasty and the combined national power constrains their army strength. Success in history is full of coincidences, the Austro-Prussian and Franco-Prussian wars were gambles on the fortunes of nations.
It was not at all what the textbooks say, winning on the system, winning on compulsory education, winning on comprehensive national power.
If the Austrian government itself does not die, improper use of personnel, military deployment errors, the Austro-Prussian War will not be so easy to end, as long as the delay of three to five months Prussia can only cry.
Franco-Prussian war is even more comedy, has drifted Napoleon III think is the god of the army again, there is no national mobilization, hastily declared war on the Kingdom of Prussia, with 220,000 French troops and 470,000 Prussian army duel.
The result is naturally self-evident, after the Franco-Prussian War, the German unification after some packaging, the German army’s military spirit was established, the fighting force reached its peak.
Successful people should always be respected, Franz was very jealous of the rising Prussia.
In his opinion either interrupt the path of unification of the Kingdom of Prussia in advance; or simply let Prussia unify the German region and Austria shift its direction of development.
This choice question was not for him to make; reality had already made the decision for him. The Austrian public could not tolerate the loss of the position of German leader, and the Austrian government could not afford the political consequences.
In that case, Franz had to follow the first path. It was not enough to interrupt Prussia’s plans; since Austria’s energies were tied up in the German area, it was only natural that something had to be gained.
It was a good idea for Prussia and Austria to join hands to divide up the German region. As compensation, Austria would support Prussia’s expansion in other directions.
Well, that’s pure flimflam. Except for middle-aged teenagers, the vast majority of politicians would not believe that Austria would actually support Prussia’s foreign expansion, and the bottom line is that they don’t have a direction to expand in anymore.
Expansion into Northern Europe, ever ask the Russians?
Expansion to the Low Countries, see if the French will agree first?
Where’s a strong navy to take colonies overseas?
“The question of negotiation will be well taken care of by our Foreign Office. The question now is, where are the common interests of this alliance, and what do we rely on to tempt them to join in?” Metternich asked in a nonchalant manner
Since it was a bundle of interests, it was necessary to show everyone where the interests lay first.
“We can model it after the German Customs Union, where we all work together to lower tariffs and promote the flow of goods.
We can also subcontract the right to sell certain commodities to the powerhouses of each country and buy them off with benefits.
For example: agricultural products where we have a competitive advantage.
If we sell it directly, it will definitely harm the interests of the local nobles, but by selling it to them, this situation will not exist.
Originally, all these states had to import food from the outside world, so isn’t it the same to buy it from somewhere? The tariffs have been lowered, and everyone’s profits have increased.” Finance Minister Carl explained
To put it simply, it was to cede some of the benefits to the local nobility in exchange for the unimpeded flow of Austrian industrial and commercial products.
The interests of the nobles were met, and the interests of the capitalists were naturally sacrificed. All of these states were still feudal dynasties, the nobility was still in control, and by buying them off you bought off the government.
“No, if we do this, how can we protect the profits of our agricultural products?” Archduke Louis objected
The profit of any industry is limited, every link that constitutes this industry chain is making profit from it, one link takes more, another naturally takes less.
“Don’t forget that we can enter the market with lower tariffs and are in possession of an advantage in terms of price. We can also manipulate the alliance to raise tariffs on foreign agricultural products to protect everyone’s interests.
After crowding out other agricultural products from entering the market, our total food exports can continue to expand, or even monopolize the food imports of the states.
Austria’s food production, has not yet reached its limit, and there is still a great deal of wasteland to be reclaimed.
After the emancipation of the serfs, the farmers’ incentive to grow food has been increased, and the domestic food production is about to have an explosive period.
If new markets are not opened up, it is feared that a large amount of domestic grain will be left unsold. If you can’t even sell it, what profit is there to talk about?
In order to open up new markets, giving up a little bit of immediate benefits in exchange for greater profits in the future, isn’t it okay?” Finance Minister Carl flubbed his words
It had to be said that his theory was very reasonable. Profit or not profit, also must be food first sold out in say, stalled at home talk about what profit?
This and the latter’s low-priced dumping is not much different, but the low price only lies in the wholesale, the profits are to the hands of the rich and powerful, the market price of food still will not be reduced too much.
(End of chapter)