Holy Roman Empire

Chapter 158: Marriage?

Certainly, the Prussian government, lacking confidence, was more eager for an alliance with Austria. Soon, both sides reached an agreement on opposing foreign intervention.

On November 11, 1850, Prussia and Austria signed the “German Treaty” in Vienna, which stipulated that both nations would collaborate against foreign forces meddling in German affairs…

Interestingly, this treaty did not encompass the two duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, which were occupied by the Danish.

Evidently, after experiencing a defeat, the Prussian government lacked internal confidence and, while opposing the British, dared not offend the Russians any further.

Since the Prussian government did not insist on it, Austria naturally did not push further. Regardless of whether these two duchies could return to the German fold, Austria had no stake in it.

Franz certainly wouldn’t follow the historical example of the Austrian government, which had been misled into a joint military campaign by the Prussians.

What’s the use of these enclaves? Did they think Austria’s defense challenges weren’t challenging enough?

Vienna Palace

Metternich said, “Your Majesty, the Prussian government has requested a loan from us. It seems that their financial crisis is even more severe than we anticipated.”

Franz replied without hesitation, “This is good news. If they are seeking our help, it means they have faced difficulties in securing loans from other financial markets.

We can find a reason to decline their loan application. Everyone seems to doubt their creditworthiness, so why should we wade into these troubled waters?”

Extending a helping hand doesn’t make sense, as Austria doesn’t have so much capital to lend, and Franz wouldn’t want to nurture potential competitors.

If there were credit ratings in this era, they would likely have been given the lowest rating of ‘C’.

Just looking at their debt, Prussia’s external debt totals a whopping 370 million thalers, with an annual fiscal income of just over 40 million thalers.

In 1847, Engels published an article in the Northern Star newspaper, pointing out Prussia’s financial difficulties, roughly meaning: “If the Prussian government announces bankruptcy tomorrow, I won’t be the least bit surprised.”

What should the Prussian government do when they’re short on money?

The answer is quite simple—cut expenses and find ways to increase income.

Whether it’s reducing military spending or cutting investments in industry or domestic infrastructure, it’s all good news for Austria.

As for increasing income, that’s not something that can be accomplished in the short term. Just coming out of a revolution, they wouldn’t dare resort to excessive taxation, would they?

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Metternich responded.

The partition of the German territories? Unfortunately, it’s not suitable to discuss this matter right now. If the radical elements within Prussia were to find out and initiate a war prematurely, Austria might end up in a difficult situation.

This possibility shouldn’t be ignored; the Japanese aren’t the only ones who can do such actions.

The Prussian military of this era is quite capable as well. However, their officers are mostly nobles, a bit more knowledgeable, and they have their families and estates to consider. They typically won’t act recklessly.

……

The thawing of relations between Prussia and Austria was most awkward for the Kingdom of Bavaria. It once again demonstrated how walking a tightrope can easily lead to a fall, and Maximilian I is currently experiencing this.

Easing relations with Austria has become his top priority.

In the Munich Palace.

Maximilian I asked with hope, “Do you have any solutions to help us get out of our current diplomatic predicament?”

In this era, it might seem amusing to worry about diplomatic difficulties while having the support of both Britain and Russia. If this were to be known, it would likely be seen as a joke.

However, in the case of the Kingdom of Bavaria, the joke had become a reality. What can the support of great powers achieve?

Their support is often just lip service, and if it were to be taken too seriously, then be prepared for disappointment!

The suggestion originally came from the British, but now, when the Kingdom of Bavaria needed their actual support, John Bull was beginning to feign ignorance.

“Your Majesty, a royal marriage!” the Prime Minister promptly proposed.

A marriage alliance between the Bavarian and Austrian royal families had a historical tradition. Franz’s mother herself came from the Bavarian royal family, and the two royal families had maintained good relations.

To mend relations with Austria, the least costly option would be a royal marriage. By marrying a princess to Austria and becoming the Empress of the Austrian Empire, the House of Wittelsbach wouldn’t be at a disadvantage.

King Maximilian I considered it and said, “Hmm, Franz does need a queen, and Helene is a suitable match.”

However, pushing for a continued marriage alliance between the two royal families was not so simple. Many influential nobles were interested in the position of the Austrian empress, making it a challenging endeavor.

Nevertheless, Princess Helene had an advantage - her aunt was the Austrian Archduchess. This fact alone could outshine many other contenders. But she also had her drawbacks; her indirect lineage and distant relation to the king.

Maximilian I had considered finding a more noble Bavarian princess to marry into the Austrian royal family, but circumstances were not favorable.

There was an age gap issue that couldn’t be readily solved. It would be rather awkward to tell Franz, “Just wait a bit; your wife is still in her mother’s arms, nursing.” (TN: :skull:)

……

Vienna

The news of the Bavarian royal family’s interest in a new marriage alliance was met with enthusiasm from Archduchess Sophie. It seemed like a perfect match at first glance.

However, Franz was not the same Franz from history, and Sophie’s influence had significantly waned compared to history.

In history, Franz was able to succeed to the throne early, thanks in large part to Sophie’s efforts. She even gathered a party to support her cause.

Now the situation was different. Franz had taken the opportunity to consolidate power while suppressing the Vienna Uprising. Naturally, the empress had no chance to perform.

Missed opportunities and the lack of a strong political following meant that any attempts to interfere in politics were unlikely to succeed.

If there’s no opportunity, then there’s none. Ambition isn’t something one is born with. After Franz ascended to the throne, Archduchess Sophie enjoyed her days without harboring any desire to seize power from her son.

Of course, the possibility of seizing power existed. The position of Archduchess was indeed prestigious, but Archduchess Sophie faced the strong-willed Franz. Naturally, she couldn’t become another Empress Dowager Cixi.

In other matters, she might not have been as concerned. But when it came to Franz’s marriage, she, as a mother, felt the need to be directly involved.

In this era, Europe was no different from other regions, as arranged marriages were the norm. The concept of free love and marriages based on personal choice was a rarity, even among commoners, let alone nobility.

Franz’s situation was quite good, and as the Emperor, his opinions had to be considered. If he strongly opposed something, no one could force him.

Upon receiving this news, Franz was utterly puzzled. How did it happen so early? Could it be that the two royal households had been preparing for this marriage for a long time?

Then he considered the current international situation, and it became clear that this was indeed a political marriage, a sign of Bavaria’s need to improve its relationship with Austria.

Franz straightforwardly said, “Mother, given the current international situation, it’s not suitable for Austria to form a union with Bavaria.”

Upon hearing this, the expression on Archduchess Sophie’s face darkened, but she didn’t voice her opposition.

Members of the royal family aren’t fools, and despite her reluctance, Archduchess Sophie didn’t reprimand Franz.

From her perspective, the interests of the Austrian royal family clearly outweigh those of the Bavarian royal family. She couldn’t allow Franz to sacrifice the interests of the royal family to promote this marriage.

This situation is different from historical events where Napoleon, while fighting Austria, also married a Habsburg princess. In that case, Napoleon’s own background wasn’t aristocratic enough, and he needed such a marriage to gain more recognition and support from the nobility.

In contrast, Austria’s marriage to Bavaria involves Franz marrying a lesser princess from the House of Wittelsbach. It’s not a prestigious match, and sacrificing political interests for such a union wouldn’t be worthwhile.

Archduchess Sophie pondered for a moment and then asked, “Has the relationship between Austria and Bavaria deteriorated to such an extent?”

Having been disengaged from politics for a long time, she was unaware of Austria’s deliberate distancing from Bavaria. Now, with Bavaria seemingly turning against Austria, it’s clear that their relations have taken a hit.

Franz calmly replied, “Yes, not long ago, the Bavarian government broke the alliance between our countries and sided with the Kingdom of Prussia. With Austro-Prussian relations improving, Bavaria will naturally have to face the consequences.”

Archduchess Sophie looked troubled, understandably so, as she found herself caught in the middle of this difficult situation.

Seeing his mother in this dilemma, Franz reassured her, “Don’t worry, Mother. This is just a normal clash of interests between nations and won’t affect the relationship between our royal families.

It’s just that, during such conflicting moments, if news of the marriage were to spread, it could have a very negative impact among the public.”

Upon hearing this explanation, Archduchess Sophie’s expression eased a bit. At the same time, she couldn’t help but feel a hint of discontent regarding the proposed marriage with her family.

Even if she wanted her niece to become the Empress, she wouldn’t compromise her son’s reputation. In such matters, all parents are the same.

Archduchess Sophie thought for a moment and said, “Let’s set this matter aside for now and revisit it in a couple of years.”

Noble marriages in Europe often happened later in life, and Franz was not too old for marriage. Her niece was even younger, so postponing the marriage didn’t seem problematic.

Seeing his mother’s reluctance to let go of the idea, Franz didn’t say much. Delaying the decision was a good idea. If he outright refused, a new marriage proposal might emerge soon.

With this card to play, he could buy himself a few years. During that time, he could travel and perhaps encounter true love of equal status. If not, he could marry a beautiful princess.

Having ideals is essential, and what if somehow they do become a reality?

Franz’s persona was now defined; his personal integrity had to be impeccable. He couldn’t afford to act impulsively in his personal life, at least not before he’d firmly established his authority.

This was the cost of being an emperor. Given the choice, Franz would still choose to be an emperor, despite the sacrifices.

The cost was high, but so were the rewards. In these dark times, having control over one’s destiny was no small feat.

Are ordinary people free from pressure? Are nobles free from pressure?

Not long ago, Austria was still executing people left and right. How many prominent nobles were sent to the guillotine? Were they all truly guilty?

How many were caught up in the turmoil and unable to escape, ending up in the same tragic fate?

Franz was well aware of these situations, but being aware didn’t mean he could exonerate those involved. Whether voluntarily or not, participation in the rebellion carried consequences.

Looking at the everyday struggles of the common people for their livelihoods, Franz felt fortunate.