Chapter 156: The Wind Rises

  Chapter 154 The Wind Rises

In the Munich Royal Palace, a meeting to decide the fate of the Bavarian Kingdom began.

“Your Majesty, your resolution is too hasty, at this point in time, if we move closer to Prussia, we are bound to be retaliated by the Austrians.” Prime Minister Mourdes frowned and said

Not long ago, the Prussian government proposed to “establish a responsible German cabinet consisting of Austria, Prussia, and Bavaria to jointly dominate the German region.”

This was what Maximilian I dreamed of, and without the consent of the government, he privately concluded a pact with the Prussians.

On the face of it, if this plan had succeeded, the Bavarian kingdom would have achieved its highest goal of a “three-part world”, but after all, their power was too limited to unify the German region.

In reality, however, the bait was poisoned. Now that Prussia’s reputation in Germany had been greatly damaged, it was urgent for the kingdom to restore its reputation, and it was obvious that this Cabinet of Responsibility plan was the way to do so.

Now that Bavaria and Prussia were involved, it was a betrayal of Austria, which was bound to be retaliated against.

As the boss of the German region, without the support of Austria this so-called responsible cabinet is obviously not established, Maximilian I pursued the three worlds is a basket of water – an empty.

No substantial benefits could be obtained, and the infamous Prussian government was also involved. Not to mention, when the news gets out, the Bavarian public’s support for the government will drop a few more percentage points.

Not all Bavarians have the idea of a three-part Germany, in many people’s opinion, the Kingdom of Bavaria is too weak, in order to realize the unity of the German nation and Austria cooperation is the best choice.

“Now Austria is powerful and the Kingdom of Prussia just met its Waterloo, if we don’t support them, the balance of the German region will be broken.

Now the Vienna government is carrying out social reforms, and from the intelligence we have received, it is already bearing fruit.

Austria exceeds the combined total of all our remaining states in terms of both population, and territorial size, once they turn that potential into national power, who will be able to hold them back?” Maximilian I asked rhetorically

Chancellor Mulders thought the same way, which is why he supported joining forces with Austria to unify the German region together and establish a Greater German Empire.

Since they were joining forces, naturally they could share the cake. With the Austrians as the majority shareholder, the Kingdom of Bavaria could also be the second shareholder, and an important position in the future board of directors was naturally inevitable.

This is the choice that best guarantees their interests, and cooperation with the strong is the way for small countries to survive, which is how Bavaria joined the German II Empire in history.

It was enough to think about these words, Mulders would not say them. Otherwise, Maximilian I would be furious, the prime minister has no confidence, what’s the point?

“Your Majesty, this is not the right time, the reputation of the Kingdom of Prussia is too stinky, the people do not have any good feelings towards them, even if we want to cooperate with them, we have to get over this wind before doing so.

The Austrian government is busy with internal reforms and won’t even make a move in three to five years.

As long as our alliance is not terminated, even for the sake of reputation, the Austrian government will not risk universal condemnation against us.

Now that we and Prussia have blocked Austria’s pace of unifying the German region, they must have our cooperation even if they want to unify the German region.” Mourdes thought for a moment and said

Prestige is also a double-edged sword, because of the prestige Austria became the boss among the German states, the same is also subject to the prestige, hindering Austria to unify the German region.

“Nationalism has risen and the idea of great unification has spread in the German region. If we don’t act in advance, the further we go the worse it will be for us.

After the establishment of the Holy Roman Economic Union, the Austrian government has accelerated the pace of infiltration in the German region, and on the bright side we can’t even stop it.

If another three to five years pass, it is possible that Austria will be ready to unify the German region by force.

Austria’s influence in Bavaria is too great, who knows how many people will become bandwagoners?

I don’t think the Bavarian populace would resist the Austrians as much as they would a foreign invasion, and judging by the civil population, the Greater Germanists would hate to have the Austrian army hit them right now.

We are all well aware that the main factor preventing the Habsburgs from unifying the German region is not military, Austria has the strength for that, the key is in diplomacy.”

As he said this, Maximilian I’s mood was heavy.

The “Austrian threat theory” has existed for hundreds of years, but now there is actually no market, the German unificationists would like Austria to be stronger, so that the unification of the country sooner.

Due to Franz’s butterfly effect, the Austrian government increased the influence of public opinion on the South German states, the people identify with Austria more and more people, Maximilian I is to see in the eyes of the anxious in the heart.

Instead of being pro-Prussian, Maximilian I was forced out by reality. In order to keep his power, it was the best choice to unite with Prussia against Austria.

Historically, he also thought so, in between Prussia and Austria left and right, only he did not expect that after the Austro-Prussian War, the Austrian government will actually directly withdraw from the German region not to play.

……

The wood has been turned, the Bavarian government could do nothing even if they had a problem with the king’s hasty decision. Having already offended Austria, it could not now offend Prussia.

On July 21, 1850, the Kingdom of Prussia, together with the states of Bavaria, Hanover, and Brunswick, proposed to the German Bundestag the formation of a responsible cabinet.

The Prussians changed their strategy because of the loss of prestige. Instead of the so-called “Alliance of the Three Kings”, the Prussians chose to join forces with Bavaria.

Vienna

The Prussians acted with the acquiescence of Austria, otherwise it would not have been so easy for them to join forces.

At the end of the day, everyone was still furious at Bavaria’s betrayal.

Once the “Troika” cabinet was established, Austria’s influence in Germany would be greatly damaged, and Bavaria’s betrayal was a slap in the face of the Austrian government.

The Prussian conspiracy must be stopped, and the Bavarian government’s betrayal must be avenged, otherwise how can Austria still mix in the European continent?

Metternich proposed, “Your Majesty, in order to combat the ambitions of Prussia and Bavaria, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposes to draw together the smaller states in the German region, and to form a responsible cabinet from all the states.”

The small states have a low voice, but they have many countries, which gives them an advantage in parliamentary quarrels. Once a cabinet of responsibility is formed by all the states together, it will end up being not much different from the current federal parliament.

Just think about it, a cabinet with more than thirty people that bickers and squabbles when things come up can be imagined how much of a role it can play.

On the principle of equality of states, Prussia and Bavaria’s competence was compressed to the same status as that of the smaller states, and the role of Austria, which was recognized as the first German state, came to the fore.

Prime Minister Felix thought for a moment and said: “I’m afraid it’s not that easy. None of the great powers want the German regions to be unified, and it’s a fool’s errand to try to unify the whole country with a single responsible cabinet.

Even if the cabinet is established, who can it command? Neither we, nor Prussia, nor that traitor from Bavaria will take the cabinet seriously.”

That was a given; how could an empty shell of a responsible cabinet command the nation?

Finance Minister Karl suggested, “In that case, let’s simply muddy the waters.

The German Confederation can’t live without an emperor, and while forming a responsible cabinet, why don’t we simply propose an emperor election, and push the unification of Germany a big step forward in the process.”

A big step forward indeed, with both a common emperor and a cabinet emerging. With the great righteousness, the name in place, the road to unification in the German region is well traveled.

Obviously the Kingdom of Prussia could not agree, unless they were willing to give Austria the benefit of the doubt as a junior brother, there was no way they could compromise on this issue.

For the name and the vessel cannot be false, it is universal in any country. Playing with the election of the Emperor in the German region, not even a competitor could be found except the Habsburgs.

Influence this thing can not be seen, can not touch, but no one can ignore its existence, jurisprudence is one of the absolute factors to determine the throne of Europe.

Open the history of the German region, you will find that qualified and Habsburg family competition, all disappeared in the long river of history.

The remaining royal families of various countries, whether it is influence, or jurisprudence, can not be compared with the Habsburg family.

Wouldn’t it be the resurrection of Shinra if the Habsburgs were allowed to nominally unify the German region?

“Without the intervention of the Great Powers, we might have been able to force the Prussians to accept it, but now it is simply impossible.

It is expected that when this proposal is put forward, it will be met with collective opposition, and we will not be able to resist so much pressure.” Metternich shook his head and said

The unification of Germany without bloodshed is of course good, even if it is only a nominal unification, Austria can slowly turn the “nominal” into reality.

Obviously, the Great Powers would not agree, even the Russians, who were allied with Austria, would immediately turn their backs, and this is the bottom line.

Now is not like the Middle Ages, German nationalism has awakened, once the German region to achieve unity, even if it is nominal unity, this big empire of Central Europe is a trembling existence.

Whether it is France in the west, or Russia in the east, or Britain far abroad, will feel threatened.

On the opposite side of the European nations, Austria was no Russia or Britain, with no geopolitical advantage, no straits that could serve as a natural line of defense.

Being located in the land of four wars predetermined that the Austrian Empire could not afford to be without allies in international politics, and being isolated meant danger.

Karl explained unhurriedly, “So, this proposal can only muddy the waters, and it’s not like we expect to unify the German region by such simple political means.

The election of the German Emperor is just a test, testing not the attitudes of the governments, but the attitudes of the people in the German region.

The idea of the Great Unification is spreading widely, but we only have a rough estimate of how much the public accepts Austria, and we are now treating it as a public opinion poll.

This data can be used as an important reference point for us to formulate a strategy for the German region and avoid taking many detours.”

(End of chapter)