Chapter 280: Conflict in West Africa
Chapter 271 The West African Conflict
Just stepping into 1856, Franz received the good news that the Empress was pregnant. Now the whole Vienna court revolves around Princess Helen’s, to the new heir of the Habsburg dynasty everyone attaches great importance.
Franz sometimes couldn’t help but wonder what if it was a princess. Of course, it wasn’t that he didn’t like his daughter, but politically he needed an heir.
Just because the Habsburgs had a precedent for an empress didn’t mean that conservative Austria would be willing to accept another one.
Since Princess Helen’s pregnancy, the Empress Dowager Sophie has been nervous, and in this day and age a woman’s pregnancy is a walk in the ghost, so you can’t be too careful.
“Franz, now that Helen is pregnant, you have to keep a certain distance from her, being too close will affect the safety of the fetus. You know what I’m talking about, don’t you?”
Embarrassed, Franz could only nod passively, he really wanted to say back: am I someone who doesn’t know the difference?
There was no way in his mother’s eyes, he was still just a child who hadn’t grown up, and the result of arguing was getting criticized.
Franz changed the topic and said, “By the way mother, how are the preparations for Massimiliano’s wedding going?”
The object of Massimiliano’s marriage this time was Princess Charlotte, the daughter of King Leopold I of Belgium, a purely political marriage without any impurities.
To a few heel brother, Franz are very important, strict militarized management, any thought of anchoring the situation appeared, immediately suppressed.
Empress Dowager Sophie said confidently, “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it. It’s just that after Massimiliano’s big wedding, how will you arrange him?”
Europe’s royal children, also need to do things, simply being a rice-decaying worm, that’s a sign of being unproductive.
Franz replied, “It depends on what he likes to do, and it also depends on how far his personal abilities have reached?”
How to place this brother, Franz had no idea in his mind. Historically Massimiliano had just gone out to do something, and it didn’t take long for him to be snubbed by liberalism for lack of it.
When he was the regional governor of Italy, he directly shook the foundation of the Habsburg dynasty’s rule in the region.
Combined with history, Franz thought the best fit for Massimiliano would be to be an artist or to go as a botanist.
This is entirely based on his personal ability and hobbies, but this proposal Franz can not dare to say out, in the eyes of the Empress Dowager Sophie Massimiliano is still very good.
If you don’t let this younger brother touch the wall a few times, directly let him at home as a rice worm, it is estimated that the outside world will also think that Franz is suppressing his younger brother.
In addition, Massimiliano really willing to accept his arrangement? You know that in history, he ran to Mexico to become emperor.
If there is no ambition, how could he run to trip that pool of muddy water? Mexico’s situation, Franz but a clear understanding of the situation, is a liberal neglect of the country.
Being emperor is not afraid of national conservatism, the most fearful is that freedom has gone too far and lost the most basic binding force.
This pool of muddy water Franz is not ready to go over the trip, if Massimiliano personal ability to the sky, has the talent of the sky and the earth, then invest a handful of still collect the cost back, obviously he is not.
Do not say Massimiliano, even Franz himself do not think can level Mexico’s internal contradictions, or this crown will not easily fall on the head of Massimiliano.
……
Vienna Palace
Metternich said worriedly, “Your Majesty, the situation in the Gulf of Guinea is getting more and more complicated, the forces of various countries are gathered, and armed conflicts may break out at any time.
Two months ago a Portuguese infantry battalion went out to ascertain the title of the gold mine, there were more than five hundred people including the civilian armies, and all of them disappeared, so far there is no result.
It is now a matter of conflicting opinions; some say that they discovered the superb gold mine and were exterminated; others say that they encountered the devil and were all killed ……”
The situation in the Gulf of Guinea was created by Franz, and there would not have been such an influx of gold prospectors if it had not been for the great publicity of the government in Vienna.
Order had not yet been established on the continent, it was barely visible within the colonial strongholds of the countries, once outside of them it was completely out of control.
Did not find the gold mine even if, even if it is a fire fight everyone will not be too much. After the discovery of the gold mine, it was time for a fire fight.
The small colonial armed team discovered the gold mine, the first time is to keep it secret, and then sold to the colonial government, free mining that is non-existent.
Without enough strength, if you are slaughtered outside, you won’t even know who the murderer is.
Initially to determine the property rights of the gold mine, the colonial government sent a few people on the ground to explore on the line. Now there is no army accompanying, everyone dares not go.
It’s the first time they’ve done it to government troops. Usually no one would do this, if not able to do to silence, leaking half a bit of information, will lead to the destruction of the disaster.
Franz asked, “Could it be some national army that did this?”
The fighting strength of the Portuguese army was not good, it was easy to defeat a Portuguese infantry battalion, but it was not easy to take them all out.
The devil’s words, Franz even discarded his nose, Austria had colonized Africa for so long without discovering these transcendental creatures, how could they be born all of a sudden?
Metternich replied: ”I don’t know, but what is certain is that there is a mole in the Portuguese team. If there wasn’t someone working inside and outside, it would be impossible for them to wipe out their entire army.
Now that so many people are not seen alive or dead, it is obvious that there is a serious problem and someone is covering up the truth.”
What the truth was Franz didn’t care, the problem was that it was Austria who was now the most suspected. There weren’t many armed forces in the Gulf of Guinea that could have done this, and the Austrian colonial forces there had the power to do just that.
There were twelve armed teams registered in Austrian colonial strongholds that numbered more than five hundred men, all of which had been formed by regional German states, or by a coalition of several aristocracies.
All of these people had the strength to do this, and with so many suspects under their command, it was naturally inevitable that they would be suspected.
Franz was not worried about this suspicion; without evidence, the Portuguese could do nothing.
Besides, when troops disappeared, it wasn’t necessarily a total loss, there was also the possibility that they had gotten lost and were being savages in the jungle.
Although the chances of this are small, there have been precedents. Certain colonization teams have lost their lives in the jungle just because they got lost.
“The truth doesn’t matter to us, the place where the Portuguese disappeared, and it’s not in our area of control, we’re not obligated to investigate it for them.
The problem now is that we have to stabilize the situation in West Africa as soon as possible, or else the countries will continue to clash, which will likely lead to greater conflicts.
In case there is a big fire fight on the ground, causing the situation to get out of control, many of the immigrants who originally wanted the Gulf of Guinea will give it up and migrate to countries in the Americas instead.
Without a sufficient population, it will be difficult for us to control the West African region. In order to stabilize the situation there as soon as possible, we must cooperate with the governments of various countries to establish the most basic order there.”
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to find out the real culprits, but he didn’t dare to continue the investigation. Franz could only be sure that the Austrian government forces had not attacked the Portuguese, and it was hard to say whether or not the civilian armed teams had done it.
In case there was a conflict because of a certain giant gold mine and they did the murderous thing, Franz was not surprised at all. In the face of profit, everyone’s moral fiber tends to be offline.
If they found out about their own people, they would be in big trouble. A bad one will break out a bigger political crisis, this kind of self-inflicted suffering thing Franz is not interested in doing.
In addition to the Portuguese themselves, it is estimated that the governments of all countries have the same attitude, seriously check down, who are worried about drawing fire, it is better to pretend to be confused.
Metternich replied, “Your Majesty, the situation in the Gulf of Guinea is very complicated, the forces of various countries are intertwined, and it is very difficult to divide the territory at the negotiation table.
The best way is international co-management, we all form a colonial government based on the common, as for the gold mines let the civil armies compete freely, we all rely on our own means.”
Whether this was the best option or not, Franz was not sure, the only thing he could be sure of was that it was the one that best served Austria’s interests.
With free competition, the more numerous would certainly have the advantage. And this kind of order, also only exists in the colonial government control area, once in the wild who cares ah?
Franz smiled and said, “Yes, no matter what kind of order it is, it is better to have order than no order at all.”
……
(End of chapter)