Holy Roman Empire

Chapter 1058: Chapter 72, The Second Roman Empire
 

Any contradiction or dispute ultimately stems from interests. The British Government’s interference indeed caused trouble for the negotiations.

However, this did not change the British’s nature of talking big without substantial action. They verbally supported the Spanish Government, but when it came to practical measures, they were full of excuses and delays.

This was an inevitable result, and while moral support posed no issue, providing actual financial support to Spain would be costly in terms of human lives.

Since the Russians set the precedent of defaulting, Britannia has not been spared from encountering breaches in debt in the recent years.

Although subsequent debtors did not blatantly default like the Russians, many genuinely lacked funds, leaving London’s financial institutions helpless.

They could either accept the postponement of debts or a restructuring of debts, but normal payments were out of the question. These problematic loans, if they could even recover costs, were considered blessed; profit was out of the question.

With precedents set, British capital learned to be cautious. When it came to international lending, caution was paramount.

Given Spain’s current fiscal conditions, it clearly did not meet the criteria for debt issuance. Unless the British Government was willing to cover, nobody wanted to step into these murky waters.

Even the boldest capitalists worried about the risks, let alone the London Government. The opposition party was not blind; to send British money out for free was to deliver leverage to their rivals.

After more than half a year of drawn-out negotiations, the financially stricken Spanish Government finally faced reality.

On June 6, 1898, the Holy Roman Minister of Foreign Affairs, Weisenberg, and the Spanish representatives signed the “Morocco Sovereignty Transaction Agreement” in Vienna.

With the treaty’s signing, another world record was set. In order to purchase the Moroccan Area, the Vienna Government offered 180 million Divine Shield, setting a new record for the highest amount ever paid in a land transaction.

Quality comes with a price, and the Vienna Government was willing to pay such a premium for a reason. Other than the undeniable importance of the Moroccan Area, it was also a deliberate show for the rest of Europe.

Since the Spanish Government owed Shinra a significant debt that was nearing default, this was an opportune moment to offset it.

After deducting the haphazard loans, the extravagant amount of 180 million Divine Shield the Vienna Government needed to physically pay was in fact just over ten million.

The Spaniards had no grounds to refuse; if not for the debt offset, the Vienna Government would not have been able to offer such a high price.

As for the distribution of benefits, that would have to be decided after securing the Moroccan Area, based on the actual conditions.

It’s worth mentioning that Frederick refused private donations. Having money that couldn’t be spent was merely bad luck for them, for they missed the prosperous era of purchasing nobility titles.

Since Franz ascended to the throne, the nobility management system was systematically perfected, and Austria officially entered the era of military merit-based ennoblement.

Apart from military merits, one could become nobility either through inheritance, receiving the title passed down by ancestors, or by making significant contributions to the nation and being honored with a title by the Emperor.

As the system improved, the effect of financial influence significantly weakened. Now, Shinra’s nobility comprised either those of luck or those of ability.

The conferment of titles was decided by the Emperor. Tens or hundreds of thousands were not enough to catch Franz’s eye, nor stir Frederick’s interest.

Rules had been established long ago, and now it was just a matter of adherence. Even if some were dissatisfied, they had to restrain themselves. If they wanted to share the spoils, they would have to quickly join the fray; they might still catch up.

This possibility was slim. On the day the treaty was signed, several civilian militias launched an attack on the Moroccan Area, surprising Franz with their efficiency.

Perhaps everyone understood that the chances of obtaining fiefdoms were becoming increasingly slim and did not want to miss out on this opportunity. While negotiations were still underway, civilian armed forces were already gathering in the Algeria Region.

According to the report from the Algeria Provincial Government, by the time the war broke out, there were already 200,000 civilian armed forces from across the country gathered locally.

It is worth mentioning that the main force this time was not the emerging Nobility of Africa but rather the established Nobility from within the country, and even some Monarchs of the states were present.

It makes sense; to partake in this lucrative opportunity, one had to advance troops there before the negotiations ended.

This was high-risk business, and without significant financial backing, it would not work. Should the negotiations collapse or drag on for two or three years, ordinary people’s fortunes wouldn’t endure.

Emerging Nobility who couldn’t even manage their own fiefdoms, regardless of their desire to send troops to join the excitement, had no money in their pockets!

The ones with a foundation, strength, and an urgent need for new lands were mainly the Nobility from North Germany.

Although they also participated in the colonization movement, their engagement and the intensity of their investments were clearly a step behind the Nobility of the South German Region.

A step slow led to delays at every other step.

With the advancement of the localization process in Africa, the influence of these fiefdom lords in Shinra’s politics increased daily.

Against this backdrop, the already advantaged South German Nobility held even higher influence within the Empire.

Nobody wanted to be marginalized, whether for political influence or family development, the Nobility in the northern regions urgently needed more fiefdoms.

Under the drive of this crisis awareness, it was not surprising to see a few small state Monarchs appear.

Officially, the position of all states of Shinra was equal, but in practical operation, it was a different story. Many small states, other than the title of state, were in reality just autonomous cities.

For ordinary citizens, there wasn’t much difference between a state and an autonomous city, as both were highly autonomous, but for the state Monarchs, it was different.

Now they still had a vote in the Imperial Parliament, but without sufficient influence within the Empire, could they really keep that vote in the future?

In the history of Shinra, even the electoral seats of the Prince Electors could change hands, naturally, the seats of the Imperial Parliament could also change.

To avoid decline, they had to enhance their own strength. Wanting territorial expansion in the European Region aside from replicating the strategy of marrying into another lineage was like hoping for a near-extinct family to survive.

Such a probability was too low, no better than the odds of winning a lottery unless one was incredibly lucky.

Rather than betting on such an improbable event, it would be easier to simply expand. No matter how perfect the system, it couldn’t hide from human sentiments.

The same military achievements, falling on different heads, ultimately yielded different benefits.

With that vote in the Imperial Parliament, as long as these state Monarchs brushed up some military achievements as their entry ticket, the rest could be managed through insider trading.

Politics was about interests but also about human sentiments. The Holy Roman Empire was not only built through warfare but also through the network of connections of the Habsburg dynasty.

Franz saw this issue very clearly. It was never easy being an Emperor; one must adhere to principles where necessary and be diplomatic wherever possible.

As a qualified Monarch, one might not need high intelligence, but emotional intelligence was absolutely essential. Otherwise, just managing relationships could drive a person to collapse.

Frankly speaking, Franz was somewhat lacking in this area. However, he was fortunate, catching the last train of the feudal imperial system.

In the future, it wouldn’t work, as with the progression of the ages, it was nearly impossible for a Monarch to be so decisively influential, and more often than not, it was necessary to coordinate various relationships.

So many people vied for Morocco, and it clearly wasn’t possible for everyone to gain from it. Moreover, the funds for buying the Moroccan regions came from the Central Government, and the land allocated would inevitably shrink.

From the current situation, if nothing unexpected happened, the Vienna Government probably had no chance to send troops.

How to distribute interests among various parties became a challenge. Undoubtedly, this challenging task had become yet another significant test for Frederick.

However, that was not the most difficult part; the more troublesome issue was that the Vienna Government was approaching a change in office. The original government members, each one advanced in age, had long since been unable to meet the demands of their duties.

Keeping them until now was not merely out of Franz’s nostalgia; it was more importantly about the transfer of power.

“A new ruler installs his own followers”—perhaps it was put too absolutely, but one must admit that the ancients’ saying held much truth.

This situation in Europe, though not very apparent, still had its impacts.

Watching the struggle for world hegemony about to enter its final stage, from the current balance of power, Shinra’s chances of winning were as high as ninety percent.

Anyone taking the position could reap a vast amount of prestige. With this political prestige, as long as the person involved did not commit any fatal mistakes, re-election was almost certain.

While Franz was in power, it was not a problem that the ministers below him had high prestige; after all, their prestige could never surpass that of the old emperor.

But it didn’t work that way with Frederick. Looking at the current government, each minister had distinguished merits. As the regent Crown Prince, Frederick had to maintain enough respect when dealing with them.

There hadn’t been any major issues partly because these individuals were old and did not want to continue the strife; and partly because Franz was still alive, and it wasn’t their place to overstep.

In these times, the average lifespan was not even fifty years; if there was a change of office, surely they would have to bring in younger people. It was obviously impractical to again place septuagenarians or octogenarians in power.

To speak somewhat indelicately, if faced with a bunch of old folks, even the emperor couldn’t speak too harshly. If by accident he provoked them and one or a few of them passed away, it would lead to a political disaster.

Shinra’s political system determined that the frequency of government changes could not be too high. Cabinet officials in their forties or fifties, as long as they achieved results, reappointment was practically guaranteed.

Although Franz was still healthy, there was no guarantee that he could endure another generation of government elites.

To prevent a scenario where the monarch was weaker than his ministers, Franz retained these veteran ministers, thus creating the current opportunity for Frederick.

As the Crown Prince had full authority over regency, this naturally included appointing cabinet officials. Since all personnel appointments were left to Frederick, if he could not manage even his own appointees, that would truly be disgraceful.

While Frederick was worrying about the new leadership team, the media across all of Europe was dominated by this earth-shattering land transaction case.

Economic journals analyzed from a financial perspective, extensively discussing the economic value to the Holy Roman Empire of acquiring the Moroccan region. For example, they said: the circular railway needed to be replanned, which was positive for the construction industry chain.

Military journals extensively reported on the strategic position of Morocco, locking down the western gateway to the Mediterranean, promoting a comprehensive strategic overall layout…

Political journals focused on interpreting the political value, for example, saying: great national strategies required mutual benefit, and this land transaction case had pioneered a new direction for resolving international disputes through political cooperation…

Entertainment journals most attracted public attention with the phrase “Recreating the Roman Empire”, which overshadowed all other news and captivated the gawking crowds across Europe.

There was no issue of a cover-up; at this point, Shinra, even if wanting to stay hidden, had no large enough tree to conceal its form.

Since being low-profile was impossible, they might as well be high-profile. After all, the Moroccan region was bought by the Vienna Government at a high price, not snatched from Spain, so there were no concerns about drawing hatred.

Seeing where the crown of the Habsburg dynasty originated, one knows it was inherited from the Roman Empire. In the European world, the Holy Roman Empire was actually known by another name—”the Second Roman Empire.”

However, the title of this “Second Roman Empire” was previously somewhat unmerited; even the people of Holy Rome were embarrassed to use it.

With the development and growth of the Holy Roman Empire, the title of the Second Roman Empire was increasingly accepted by the people across Europe.

The Morocco land transaction case was merely a catalyst that detonated a frenzy in public opinion, making the title of “Second Roman Empire” well-deserved.

Franz had already returned to Vienna, and as an Emperor who did not wish to make a fuss, the Vienna Government naturally could not decide to organize a “celebration” on its own.

However, while the Emperor could control the Government from organizing celebrations, he could not prevent the general public from spontaneously holding celebratory activities. With the media’s encouragement, the entire Holy Roman Empire was immersed in a sea of joy.

Business opportunities were delivered to the door, and the capitalists naturally would not waste them. A variety of celebratory activities continuously took place in the Holy Roman Empire, the atmosphere even surpassing that of Christmas.

…

Row upon row of robust juniper trees lined neatly on either side, forming a unique shaded scenic route that led directly to the Russian Empire’s embassy in Vienna.

The joyful laughter outside contrasted sharply with the cold, quiet atmosphere here, as if they were two different worlds.

“Count, Vienna is really lively, why don’t we go out for a stroll?”

Hearing this annoying voice, Envoy Moros grew increasingly irritated. It was known that the Roman Empire had not just one inheritor; the Russian Empire also possessed a Roman crown.

Only the means by which the Tsarist Government initially acquired the crown were somewhat disgraceful, to the extent that it was not widely recognized in the European world.

Regardless of whether others recognized it or not, the Russians did. Now that the Holy Roman Empire had become the Second Rome, where did that place the Russian Empire?

Despite his dissatisfaction, logic told Moros that the best course of action right now was to play deaf and dumb.

As for the controversy over the Second Rome, it was not a new issue. The mainstream society in Europe had always recognized the Holy Roman Empire as the inheritor.

Of course, this “recognition” was also in quotation marks. Over the past years, almost every European nation had at some point claimed to be the heir to Rome.

However, the Habsburg dynasty having inherited the crown of the Roman Empire appeared more orthodox compared to these claimants who had nothing.

Suppressing the discomfort in his heart, Moros coldly retorted, “Sir Leondro, as a British Ambassador stationed in Vienna, don’t you have work to do?”

It was apparent that he was in a very bad mood. If it were not for the professional restraint required of a diplomat, Moros would have already lost his temper.

As an enemy, Moros clearly understood the intentions of the British Ambassador in front of him.

Faced with someone who sought to outmaneuver him, Moros naturally would not show a pleasant face. Not directly dismissing and driving the person away was already very polite.

Leondro simply smiled slightly, seemingly unaffected by the prior mockery, and replied unflusteredly, “Of course I need to work.

However, don’t you think, my lord, that observing the local customs and traditions of Vienna is also part of a diplomat’s job?

Now that it’s so lively outside, going out to gain a deeper understanding would also help our future work.”