Holy Roman Empire - Chapter 103
Chapter 103: Chapter 103: Interest Hijacking
Translator: 549690339
Hungary
As news of the Kingdom of Sardinia’s defeat spread, more and more Hungarians lost faith in the revolution, with cities such as Miskolc, Debrecen, Pécs, and Szeged falling one after another.
By mid-June, the Hungarian Republic was reduced to its last city, Budapest.
The revolutionaries, unwilling to accept defeat after losing key cities, scattered into the countryside, attempting to continue their stubborn resistance through guerrilla warfare.
Regrettably, the Hungarian public did not endorse this tactic. In the eyes of the ordinary people, the Habsburg dynasty was their protector, whereas the Hungarian Republican Government was seen as a predatory administration composed of nobles and capitalists.
Instead of sparking a people’s war, it was the very citizenry that quelled the attempt.
It can be said that Franz’s land redistribution campaign in Hungary was very successful, managing to pin all of Austria’s past atrocities on the Hungarian self-government.
There will always be shrewd individuals in this world. The Hungarian nobility, whose power was greatly diminished after the civil strife, quickly reevaluated their position and took action to prove their worth to the Vienna Government, readying themselves to occupy an advantageous spot in the new social order.
This is how the ancient nobles have always survived – by learning to compromise with reality. Those nouveaux riches who had not learned this lesson had already met their end during the Austrian suppression of the Hungarian rebellion.
In an ancient castle outside Al-Arab City, a young man spoke angrily, “Father, must we really do this? Once the Kingdom of Hungary ceases to exist, we will only be able to …”
The elder waved his hand and said with heartfelt sincerity, “August, do not let your eyes be clouded by self-interest!
The Kingdom of Hungary no longer exists. From the very moment the Hungarian Revolution began, it was destined to be so, and the Vienna Government’s determination to dismantle Hungary will not waver.
We can admire the courage of those who fight against insurmountable odds, but we must not emulate it; this is the lesson passed down by our ancestors.
If the dismantling of Hungary is inevitable, why not use this opportunity to reap the greatest benefits?
The Austrian Government may use this revolution to dismember the Kingdom of Hungary, but they still lack the legal basis to do so – that is our opportunity.”
August frowned and said, “But Father, the Vienna Government has divided our lands, the millions of hectares passed down from our ancestors have become history, and we will never get them back!”
The elder shook his head and said, “What do you suggest? These lands have been divided among hundreds of thousands of people, and no one can take them back now. Do you really want to make enemies out of the inhabitants of our lands over these territories?
August, you are too extreme. What has happened, happened. The most important thing is not to complain or engage in a futile quest for revenge, but to cut our losses in time!
Do not forget, these lands were taken in the name of redemption, yet we have received no compensation for them. At this point, the Vienna Government would be only too happy for you to make a misstep – that way, they wouldn’t owe us a penny.”
Families like the Kohali, prominent nobility, always pay great attention to the management of their estates. Wrath from heaven and infamy are the behaviors of the upstarts and profligates; in contrast, true ancient aristocracy values its reputation highly.
Wars among the nobility often erupt in Europe, so the nobles must rely on the support of their subjects to fight for them. Without their endorsement, how could the great nobility claim their special status?
Wealth stirs hearts, and now that the land has been distributed, the deed is done, and the serfs who have received the land certainly don’t want to give it up; if one wishes to take the land back, one must stand against these people.
There is no other choice, at this time one can only cut one’s losses. As for exacting revenge on the Austrian Government, this thought could exist, one could even sow discord covertly, but openly, one must not make any move.
Perhaps because of the ties of marriage among the nobility, the Habsburg Family cannot bring themselves to strike at them fiercely, but withholding their demolition compensation, no, the land redemption fee, is still possible.
The redemption fees for millions of hectares of land, even at a discount, would not amount to a small figure, and no one could refuse such wealth.
To get this money is likewise not so simple; the land redemption fee is collected on behalf of the Austrian Government, and they certainly won’t give it up so easily.
Even for the sake of government credibility, they can avoid direct default. As long as they make full use of the initiative of bureaucrats, it is ensured to become a ‘within one’s lifetime’ series of debts.
Thinking up to here, August suddenly felt defeated. It was clearly the Austrian Government that had harmed their interests, yet to stop further loss, they still had to help the Austrian Government stabilize the situation locally.
At least until that substantial amount of land redemption money is in hand, they must stand with the Austrian Government, and even hope for Austria to develop better, otherwise, no one would repay them.
After a moment of silence, August resignedly said, “Alright, I’ll push forward with the petition movement, legitimizing the Austrians’ division of Hungary!”
For the considerable land redemption fee belonging to the Kohali Family, no matter how reluctant they are deep inside, August had to hold his nose and accept it.
Instigating the public to petition, applying to become a direct territory of the Habsburg Family, providing the Austrian Government with an excuse to divide Hungary, is their first step towards curry favor with Vienna.
Franz is calculative; dividing Hungary is easy, but winning over the local people’s hearts is difficult. Historically, after the Kingdom of Hungary was divided, it soon came back to life, because the local people were not reconciled.
If the local people take the initiative to apply, transforming into a direct territory of the Habsburg Family, then there would be no problem. That’s public opinion; no one can find fault with that.
Public opinion is blind, and this is when the nobles must perform. With their leadership and the Habsburg Family’s prestige among the people, orchestrating such a petitioning event would be easy.
Budapest, this place has now become a besieged city. The Austrian Army seems to have lost interest in besieging the city, having not launched an attack for a week.
With the Danube River, the city is not lacking water, but other materials can no longer be replenished. Due to the lack of industrial raw materials, factories have long ceased operations.
A large number of unemployed citizens face soaring prices, and the city’s economy has already collapsed. The young and strong can still join the National Homeland Defense Troops to scrape by, but the old, weak, sick, and disabled have completely lost their source of income.
The breakdown of military discipline among the National Homeland Defense Troops is largely because the soldiers have families to feed, and the pittance that the destitute Hungarian Republican Government pays them can hardly support an entire family.
To prevent their families from starving, they must also suppress “counter-revolutionaries,” only then can they seize enough wealth from the “enemy” to provide for their families.
