Holy Roman Empire - Chapter 56
Chapter 56: The 56th Chapter, Bouncing Check
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The news that the Kingdom of Sardinia had occupied Lombardy reached France and caused a stir within the temporary government.
The French had supported the Kingdom of Sardinia in waging war against Austria only to expel Austria from Italy and allow Lombardy and Venice to become independent, but they had no intention of letting the Kingdom of Sardinia unify Italy.
Ever since receiving the news that the Kingdom of Sardinia had occupied Lombardy without a fight, the mood of Alphonse de Lamartine, the head of the temporary government, had soured.
Austria was one of the four major powers on the European Continent, yet it had been so weak as to give up Lombardy?
The correct course of action would have been for them to have a Pyrrhic battle with the Sardinian Army, then, weakened and unable to suppress domestic rebellions, be forced to give up the Italian Area, while the Kingdom of Sardinia, having suffered heavy losses in the war, would be unable to annex the Lombardy Region.
They had already written the script, but it was changed right at the start. To make matters worse, they had no right to change it back, as the investors had pushed them aside early on.
“Mr. President, the Austrian Ambassador, Mr. Menternede, is here,”
said the Adjutant’s voice at Alphonse’s ear, who then came to his senses and said, “Please let him in.”
After a round of routine pleasantries common in diplomatic contexts,
Menternede steered the conversation to the main topic.
“Mr. President, what is your view on the Italian question?”
Alphonse smiled faintly; the Austrians were willing to send a representative to negotiate with them, which was a good opportunity to increase French influence.
“Mr. Menternede, every nation has the right to pursue national independence. I think letting the Lombardy Region form its own country is a good choice!”
Menternede was already cursing inside; so, because it’s not French territory, you don’t care? Lombardy and Venice are tax-heavy regions, not something Austria can easily give up!”Mr. President, I think this matter should be considered based on the specific situation. The Lombardy Region is an inseparable part of the Austrian Empire, and we will not make any concessions on this issue.
Otherwise, let’s discuss other areas in Italy, such as the division of power with the Kingdom of Sardinia, in this respect we should find common ground!”
The partitioning of Italy is certainly of interest to the French, even if the temporary government is now busy with internal strife, they know it is an opportunity not to be missed.
A unified Italy is not in Austria’s interest, nor is it in the French interest. The Mediterranean is too small to accommodate so many great powers.
If Austria is unwilling to give up the Lombardy Region, then the war with the Kingdom of Sardinia is bound to continue.
The Austrian ambassador making a visit was a clear indication that partitioning Italy was only a means to negotiate benefits with the French government and to get them to stop supporting the Kingdom of Sardinia.
Alphonse didn’t have many choices; he already understood the nature of the fight in Lombardy—there had been no actual combat, meaning that Austria’s troops hadn’t suffered any losses.
Unless there was outside support, he didn’t believe that the Kingdom of Sardinia could defeat Austria; the gap in their respective capabilities was too pronounced, not something that could be compensated for by individual prowess.
The temporary government couldn’t possibly provide much support to the Kingdom of Sardinia right now, and besides, what benefits would supporting the Kingdom of Sardinia bring?
Though France wanted to swallow Italy whole, Alphonse did not possess such grand ambitions.
The Vienna System might have collapsed, but he hadn’t forgotten the warnings from the Russians; the British were also watching closely. If he took this step, he would be up against the European Continent alone.
“Mr. Menternede, what do you think would be a fair division?” Alphonse asked with interest
Since the Austrians wanted to bribe them with the interests of the Kingdom of Sardinia, then they would first see what the offer was. As long as the price was right, stabbing the Kingdom of Sardinia in the back was not out of the question.
At this time, France and the Kingdom of Sardinia had not formed an alliance; the two were only verbally agreed, with no pressure of betrayal.
“Austria gets Genoa and Turin, and the rest of the territory goes to France, with both countries forming an alliance to jointly resist international pressure!”
Having said that, Menternede picked up a pen and drew a line on the map, bisecting the Kingdom of Sardinia. From a territorial standpoint, it appeared that the two sides were equally divided.
Alphonse’s expression changed; he had not expected the Austrians’ appetite to be so large that they would want to swallow the Kingdom of Sardinia whole.
On the surface, it seemed France had picked up a great deal; Austria would take on the main Sardinian Army, and the French need only wait until the end of the war to send troops to occupy.
However, the reality was not so. The most valuable parts of the Kingdom of Sardinia were in Turin and Genoa, which together housed over eighty percent of the nation’s industry.
If Austria got its hands on these two locations, it would be difficult for France to reclaim them. In that era, France’s military power was not superior to Austria’s.
Alphonse spoke up, “Mr. Menternede, I’m afraid that won’t do. The prime regions of the Kingdom of Sardinia…”
A sky-high asking price settles for actual payment.
Menternede’s orders were to stall the French and prevent them from supporting the Kingdom of Sardinia. The partitioning of the Kingdom of Sardinia was nothing more than a ruse.
With a plethora of internal issues to address, Franz would not consider expansion before they were resolved.
Moreover, if history remained unchanged, by June, the Parisian proletariat uprising would erupt, and the French would be too preoccupied to aid Sardinia.
After the suppression of the uprising, the French government would change hands, and a new round of political struggles would begin, lasting until the restoration of Napoleon Ill.
The division of spheres of influence being discussed was nothing more than a worthless promissory note.
Alphonse was not foolish; he also knew the Austrians’ proposal to partition the Kingdom of Sardinia might be problematic, but the temporary government was under pressure to achieve results to ease domestic conflicts.
The two sides quickly found common ground; even a worthless promissory note could be cashed in if the French had the strength to do so.
Any treaty favorable to France was an accomplishment for the provisional government, and could serve as a distraction from domestic issues.
The two engaged in a war of attrition, beyond dividing the Italian Area. Alphonse also needed Austria to recognize the legitimacy of the temporary government, and to abolish the chains imposed on France by the Vienna System.
All these issues were bargaining chips. In that era, the French were diplomatically isolated, and the provisional government was desperate for international recognition.
The much-criticized July Monarchy, in fact, had not erred in its foreign policy approach. Since the anti-French wars began, the French government had been cast as Europe’s public enemy, and they had no choice but to act submissive.
The provisional government naturally couldn’t afford to be assertive either; one had only to look at the Russian reaction to know that, with a financial backer, they would storm Paris.
