Chapter 288: The Birth of the Firstborn Son

  Chapter 278 – The Birth of the Firstborn Son

Before one wave subsides, another one rises.

After entering the 19th century, the powers launched a fierce competition for the North African market, the international situation is increasingly unfavorable to the Moroccan government.

In the forties and fifties, a large number of cheap European goods poured into Morocco, impacting the economy of the Kingdom of Morocco.

In order to reverse this situation, the Moroccan government raised tariffs, and in 1852 the Kingdom’s import tariffs were raised by an average of 20%, in an attempt to utilize the high tariffs to protect the local market.

Obviously, this was detrimental to the interests of the major European powers, and in December 1856, the British forced the Moroccan Government to sign the Anglo-Moroccan Treaty.

Through the treaty, the British got extraterritoriality, the right to trade throughout Morocco, and tariffs reduced to 10% of the price of goods.

Once Pandora’s Box was opened, the situation got out of control and the great powers flocked to acquire the same rights.

The Moroccan government, which thought it had the support of the British, did not hesitate to reject the demands of various countries, causing strong resentment among them.

Colonial Minister Josip Jelacic proposed, “Your Majesty, the Moroccan government rejected the offer of the countries, France and Spain can send troops to Morocco at any time, should we not also take action.”

Morocco is the main reason for the attention of the countries is too fertile, not only has rich mineral resources, there are 220,000 square kilometers of land is fertile soil suitable for the development of agriculture, is the main agricultural exporter in Africa, and the climate conditions are also very good.

The piker is not guilty of the crime of harboring a child. There is no poisonous insects and beasts of burden, the Kingdom of Morocco has become a fat sheep in everyone’s eyes.

Franz shook his head and said: ”Our interests in the Kingdom of Morocco are too small, there is no need to participate in it.

In recent years, we have gotten too much benefit and have caused dissatisfaction in the European countries, what is needed at this time is digestion.”

Although Morocco was good, it had to face the operation of Britain, France and the West, instead of wasting time here, it would be better to develop the unowned African continent.

Now Austria has also embarked on the old path of the countries, constantly sending expeditions to Africa to prepare for colonization, and many private colonization teams have autonomously established colonial strongholds outside.

There were also some colonization teams from the German Federal Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia, which were also attached to the New Holy Roman Empire, and Franz came to the rescue.

They were all Germans, so why should they be so clear? As long as everyone recognized him as emperor, then everything was negotiable.

For example, the colonization of Cameroon was first carried out by the Prussian nobility, but now the Berlin government is “not interested” in colonization.

There is no way, in the era of colonization, without the support of the state, relying on individual power to colonize overseas is very dangerous, in order to fight against the British colonizers, they logically joined the new Holy Roman Empire.

Another example: the capitalists of Hamburg established a stronghold in the Comoros Islands, and the German Federal Reich, which was too busy with its internal integration to colonize abroad, ended up flying the flag of the New Holy Roman Empire.

All in all, the colonial ministry has counted as many as forty-one overseas colonial strongholds, twenty-seven of which were established under the leadership of the Vienna government, which exercised local rule.

The rest of the colonial strongholds existed only in name, the strength of the private colonization teams was limited, and they often just casually circled a piece of land and established the so-called stronghold, or casually fooled an indigenous tribe into signing a so-called protection treaty.

According to the standards now prevailing in various countries, in the absence of a conflict of interest, everyone acquiesces to each other.

Even if there was a colonial rivalry, it was mostly a matter of negotiating first, usually giving a sum of money to buy the stronghold, and only using force when they really couldn’t come to an agreement. If there is no support from the country, then most likely they will be directly eliminated as pirates.

In this era, engaged in international trade capitalists, occasionally a pirate is also a common thing, is not wrong.

Compared to the British and French colonial powers, Austria can only be considered a child’s play, even Portugal, the Netherlands, these small countries, overseas colonial strongholds that is also a three-digit number to start.

Many can not be said to be a colonial stronghold, with the trade settlement is more suitable, these strongholds on more than a thousand people, less people are not.

There is nothing strange, if there is not enough interest, the civilian colonial team to give up these strongholds is a very normal thing, if someone is willing to pay money can also be bought.

If it was all up to the officials to promote colonization activities and send out bureaucrats to manage the colonial strongholds, the rich and powerful British would be the first colonial empire to go bankrupt, who let them control too much territory and have too many colonial strongholds?

Franz naturally want to learn from everyone’s successful experience, by the way, the domestic ambitious to lead overseas, the European continent does not have the king and the prince would rather be a man, but do not rule out some people brain pumping.

Domestic even if there is room for upward mobility, Franz is unlikely to allow them to engage in independent kingdoms, overseas colonies are different, you can just go to the wave.

As long as there is the ability, if anyone has the ability to fight a kingdom, Franz also recognized. It is not just the throne, there are already several in the new Holy Roman Empire, do not care to add one.

He is not afraid of someone overseas independence, in the European cultural system want to call the widow, the first thing to look at is not the fist but the blood, no blood, no legal system, even the bullish Napoleon is a headache for this.

Even now, the legitimacy of Napoleon III’s throne are subject to outside criticism, the surface of the stable French regime, in fact, the ruling foundation is very fragile.

No matter how bullish the development overseas, without his enthronement as emperor, the regime could not be stable.

Franz didn’t think that there would be a few people willing to run for the presidency when they could be king. And even if there were, what about his men who still wanted to become nobles?

……

In the evening, the Mezzanine Palace was brightly lit, the important members of the Habsburg family in Vienna had gathered, and the great nobles of Austria had come in force to await the arrival of the little one.

Anxiously waiting, the ever-steady Franz also wandered, and the sweat on his forehead involuntarily came out, now Vienna is winter.

“Franz go back and sit properly, don’t wander about in front of me and upset me.”

Dare to so reprimand Franz the Great, the Vienna court has a total of four people, obviously this can not be has abdicated and secluded Ferdinand I couple, the result is clear.

“Yes, Mother!”

Franz replied casually, and returned to his seat with apprehension.

“The Queen is in labor!”

The doctor’s voice came, and the crowd flocked together into the labor room. This was the rule, supervision was essential to ensure the legitimacy of the prince’s bloodline.

This supervision was directly related to, the legitimacy of the bloodline of the next generation. If there were no witnesses, then the legitimacy would have to be questioned.

After all, in this era of limited medical technology, many nobles lost their fertility for various reasons, or it was not easy for an heir to appear but a dead baby.

In order to preserve the family inheritance, the matter of borrowing seeds from the outside world, European nobles have not done a lot of things.

Only this kind of operation, very few success, there is no way to prove the pedigree, are directly lost the right to inheritance.

The next generation of the nobility are subject to supervision, the next generation of the emperor, not to mention. If it was a prince, then it was the heir of the Habsburg dynasty, and it was impossible to muddle through.

Under the expectation of everyone, the sound of “wow, wow, wow ……” rang out, and it was too late to determine the male and female, Franz rushed out.

Unfortunately, just as he took the first step, he was yanked back by Archduke Karl and said solemnly, “Don’t go and add to the chaos.”

Franz, who reacted, immediately stopped his steps, this time there was really no need for him to help.

“It’s a healthy prince!”

The doctor’s voice rang out, and everyone showed joyful colors, which meant that the next generation of the Habsburg Dynasty had appeared.

Then the crowd went up in turn to confirm that it was with a handle before things were done. By this time there was already a milkmaid who came up to feed the baby, as for Franz to continue to watch and play on the sidelines.

After accepting the congratulations of the crowd, dismissing the supervisory team, and greeting the suffering queen, Franz had the opportunity to touch the little one.

Regrettably disliked for his hairy hands, he was denied the right to hold the child by unanimous decision of the two mistresses. Not only he, but the father, Archduke Karl, was equally disliked.

There was no way this was the eldest son and everyone was very careful. The little prince was held most of the time by the experienced nursemaid, and when the Empress Dowager Sophie held him once, she was nervous, afraid of hurting the little one.

(End of chapter)