Chapter 111: Forced Diplomacy: A Policy Born from Pressure
At the crucial moment of the British-Austrian negotiations, Princess Sophie, Franz's mother, brought him a piece of news that grabbed his complete attention.
Uncle Ferdinand I intended to abdicate ahead of time, and Franz should be prepared for an early ascension to the throne.
In all sincerity, Franz could swear by God's name that he had no hand in this. As the legitimate heir to Austria, he wouldn't push his uncle to step down so hastily.
The real decision didn't come from Ferdinand I himself but was a collective choice by the Habsburg family.
Despite Austria's reputation for conservatism, the public's patience with the "impaired" emperor had reached its limit over the years. The Vienna uprising was partly due to this sentiment.
This was a disaster for the Habsburg family. The monarch's dignity was compromised, becoming a laughing stock. If things continued, it would destabilize the royal family's position.
At this juncture, Franz emerged as the regent, swiftly gaining power and quelling the domestic rebellion, giving many hope.
The Austrian Empire's power was waning, and the royal family watched with concern. The archdukes were anxious but powerless.
Franz's exemplary performance was an eye-opener. It seemed the Habsburgs might soon have a rejuvenating leader.
They privately agreed that Ferdinand I's continued reign was implausible, making the Habsburgs the butt of the aristocracy's jokes.
For the family's long-term interests, they unanimously decided to let Ferdinand I step down early and allow the more capable Franz to take the helm and restore the Habsburgs' glory.
Once the decision was made, they took turns persuading, or rather, urging Queen Maria Anna to agree to the emperor's abdication.
Ferdinand I was sometimes lucid and sometimes confused. His most vivid memory was ordering the chef, "I am the emperor; I want dumplings."
When lucid, he was nearly normal, just slightly slower and less intelligent. Once ill, he was clueless.
His unpredictable condition meant decisions from him were unreliable, so they decided to make choices for him.
To avoid embarrassment, they needed to persuade Queen Maria Anna. As long as she agreed, the emperor's personal opinion could be disregarded.
Undoubtedly, Queen Maria Anna was never power-hungry. With her husband unable to rule, the Vienna court felt like a cage. Especially after the Vienna revolution, she feared meeting the fate of Louis XVI.
Everyone happily agreed: Ferdinand I should abdicate soon, and Franz would clean up the mess.
To many, the Austrian Empire was a mess. The nationwide rebellion's main cause was the monarchy's tarnished reputation, making Ferdinand I unacceptable to Austria's diverse populace.
Franz wasn't opposed to ascending the throne earlier. A lot was simpler for an emperor than a crown prince.
Perhaps having endured enough, everyone chose a swift resolution. Ferdinand I's abdication and Franz's ascension were both set for September 1, 1848.
It was already the end of June, leaving just over two months. Franz had to manage domestic affairs, ensuring no mishaps on his coronation day.
...
The outcome of the recent British-Austrian negotiations generally pleased Franz. Not only did he strike a deal with the Kingdom of Sardinia, but he also secured the support of the British regarding the Austrian Balkan issue, and even got an entrance ticket to overseas colonization.
The only headache was the British stance on the German question. Like all the great powers, everyone opposed Austria's expansion into the German regions.
Unlike the Kingdom of Prussia, Austria's influence in the German territories was immense; the Habsburg dynasty's reputation resonated powerfully. Should they unify the German territories, the impact would be profound.
For instance, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Belgium were all once Habsburg territories. The idea of a greater German unification is also prevalent in these countries.
Who knows if Austria could integrate them all? Regardless, no one wanted to take that risk.
Everyone was wary of the influence of the Habsburg dynasty. If Austria decided to unify the German territories, it would face a situation akin to Napoleon's.
Even before the unification of the German territories, the interventionist forces of other countries would have been mobilized. This conclusion was upsetting to many, especially the advocates of a greater Germany.
An Austria with only eight million core nationals was everyone's ideal ally. However, an Austria with over forty-five million core nationals would be Europe's nightmare.
A post-unified Germanic Austria would surpass Russia in population and outdo France in industry, effectively becoming a Central European juggernaut.
The British saw this clearly, which is why they encouraged Austrian expansion into the Balkans. As long as the main ethnicity didn't dominate, internal conflicts would be inevitable.
An Austria plagued by internal strife would pose no threat to the global dominance of the British Empire; they could still be friends.
Franz consoled, "The British stance was expected. The real headache is not ours but Prussia's, who also wishes to unify the German territories, leaving them with even fewer options.
If we can't expand into the German territories, we can turn to the Balkans or even explore colonization. Austria's march forward won't halt."
It was self-consolation. Prussia at this age was not yet strong enough to unify the German territories.
Austria had the capacity to do so, but the international environment forbade it.
The most neutral British were strongly against German unification. Neighboring Russia felt even more threatened.
If Austria couldn't annex the German territories, they had to first address domestic ethnic conflicts and then focus on agricultural development.
The so-called expansion was merely scavenging leftovers. In the Balkans, concessions to the Russians were inevitable, and establishing overseas colonies required compromises with Britain and France.
Felix suggested, "If the British oppose German unification, why not compromise and divide the German territories with Prussia? If we can annex South Germany, we should be prepared to make some sacrifices."
Metternich sighed, "It's not that simple. Most of South Germany are our allies. How can we expand? Attacking allies would tarnish our reputation. Who would ally with us then?"
Had he known the international situation would turn out this way, he would have positioned the Wittelsbach dynasty in Italy and directly annexed the Kingdom of Bavaria.
Alas, history has no what-ifs. To counter the French, Austria had then supported the Kingdom of Bavaria, their ally, as a buffer. Now, this ally obstructed Austria's path of expansion.
With the rise of nationalism, the importance of a core nationality became evident. Experiencing the revolution, everyone realized the vulnerabilities of multi-ethnic nations.
Hungarians wanted independence, so did the Italians and Poles. The Czechs sought autonomy.
Fortunately, nationalism hadn't permeated society entirely. Only the capitalists and some nobles advocated independence, and Austria managed to suppress them.
The greatest treasure of South Germany wasn't material wealth but its fifteen million inhabitants.
If they could annex the religiously and culturally similar South German states, Austria's core nationality would surpass half its total, greatly reducing the risk of fragmentation.
Franz pondered and said, "Let's not only focus on expansion. We can also look inwards to address the ethnic issues. With over twenty million illiterate subjects in the Austrian Empire, how many of them even know their own ethnicity?
The Ministry of Education should draft a curriculum connecting all regional ethnicities, highlighting their Germanic roots. If no direct link can be found, emphasize national integration. I refuse to believe that their ancestors had no Germanic connection.
Promote the idea that they're Germanic. For culturally-rich minorities, propagate the Austrian system, emphasizing everyone's mixed heritage, which naturally includes Germanic blood. If they disagree, let them delve into their family histories.
After years of ethnic integration, how many pure-blooded ethnic groups can there be?
First, clarify ethnic relationships, then promote the German language—no, the Austrian language—gradually replacing local dialects."
Franz was prepared for pushback. If there wasn't enough core nationality, then he'd create it.
Whether they were genuinely Germanic or not, the idea was to persuade them to believe so. Every converted individual counts. With concerted bureaucratic efforts, the number of Germanic nationals would soon surge.
Historically, the Kingdom of Prussia also underwent a Germanization process. Initially, Germanic nationals didn't dominate, but they eventually did through language and cultural assimilation.