Chapter 8

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Berlin.

The Army's Chief of Staff, chest swelling with pride, declared the Danish incursion a masterful deception. William IV of the Netherlands, he asserted, had anticipated their potential maneuvers, utterly failing to perceive the feint. The true objective, a cunning stratagem, was to lure the avaricious Austrians into a trap, exsanguinating their military might. He gazed upon Bismarck, the Prime Minister, with undisguised reverence. Only Bismarck could have conceived such a brilliant, interconnected scheme. William I, the Kaiser, felt a profound sense of satisfaction. Initially, he'd relied on Von Roen's recommendation to secure Bismarck's services – a former protégé of his brother. Overcoming an initial rebuff, the chasm between them had mended, culminating last year in a triumphant alliance forming the formidable triumvirate. Bismarck, even to the Crown Prince Frederick, had proven an implacable adversary, brooking no dissent.

Bismarck, as William I knew him, remained a master of his craft. A decade of experience had honed his diplomatic and political acumen to a razor's edge. The Kaiser felt a profound sense of vindication; a discerning patron, he had unearthed a true genius—a stroke of unparalleled fortune...King William IV's pronouncement resonated with chilling clarity: The protracted struggle for dominance within the German Confederation, a bitter contest between Austria and Prussia, must conclude. Immediately. Tolbek's apprehension was mirrored by Hesbet and Interior Minister Jonrer, their shared incredulity palpable in the question: "Your Majesty's insight…how did you arrive at this conclusion?" Chancellor von Capello offered a stark assessment: Prussia's relentless expansion, reaching a critical juncture, demanded aggressive acquisition. Austria, a formidable impediment within the Confederation, stood as the primary obstacle to Prussia's insatiable hunger. Therefore, she prophesied a direct confrontation, a decisive clash between the two powers. Furthermore, considering the temperament of Austria's Emperor Franz Joseph I and his Prime Minister, Archduke Renner Ferdinand, a carefully orchestrated provocation loomed large. If, and this was crucial, Prussia were to instigate hostilities against Denmark, and simultaneously lure Austria into the conflict, then… Minister Jonrer's voice, edged with alarm, cut through the silence: "Would Prussia then exploit Austria's depleted military and enfeebled state to subjugate the remaining German states?" Tolbeck's response was a stark prediction, delivered with chilling certainty: "Precisely. Indeed, given the unwavering resolve of Prussia's King Wilhelm I and his ambitious Chancellor Bismarck, a preemptive strike against a weakened Austria is not merely plausible—it is inevitable. A decisive blow, crippling the Habsburg Empire." The unspoken implications hung heavy in the air, a pregnant silence filled with the weight of impending war.Haysbert stared, aghast, at the Prime Minister Tolbek's grim countenance, then offered William IV a deferential glance. "Surely you perceive," he exclaimed, "that His Majesty has orchestrated this entire sequence of events? He's been subtly guiding us all along!" A collective gasp rippled through the assembled group. The chilling realization dawned—they had been manipulated, pawns in William IV's intricate game. The horrifying implications sunk in: utter vulnerability. Betrayal gnawed at their confidence. Had they been unwittingly complicit in their own undoing? A shudder ran through them. The danger was palpable, breathtaking. Haysbert's gaze returned to William IV, now imbued with an unsettling mixture of awe and apprehension.

This newly discovered subservience was profoundly unsettling. William IV, noticing the shift in Haysbert's demeanor, nodded approvingly at Tolbek, pleased by the Prime Minister's skillful maneuvering. A satisfied smile played on his lips as he surveyed his assembled ministers. They were exceptional, a remarkably youthful cadre. Their average age was under forty. In the current climate of relative peace and prosperity, they could reasonably expect to live to seventy. This meant at least twenty years of unwavering loyalty, twenty years to enact his grand vision for the Netherlands. A significant span. More than enough. He anticipated the triumphant reports from his Defense Minister, Steffan Bells, currently on a diplomatic mission in Spain, and from his naval counterpart, Vincent Aite, who was visiting Portugal. But William IV felt no urgency; patience was, after all, a virtue—especially when wielding such power.

He inquired about the pair's progress, finding the undertaking flawlessly executed. His gratification was immense; Spain, he envisioned, would become a steadfast, long-term associate, a crucial partner commanding influence across the Pacific and Indian Oceans. William IV aimed to forge a formidable coalition in these crucial waters, to directly counter the British Empire's aggressive expansionism. Spain, with its strategically positioned Philippine colony bordering the East Indies, proved an ideal candidate. Furthermore, the shared Caribbean holdings—Spain's Cuba and the Dutch Guyana—provided a powerful synergy. Their combined naval might, now exceeding France's in aggregate tonnage, was rapidly closing in on that of the British Empire itself. Prussia, however, required a more discreet approach. Its meteoric ascent, undeniably enviable and geographically proximate, presented a potential complication for the Netherlands' peaceful pursuits. In contrast, Spain's geographical location and substantial influence throughout the Americas offered invaluable benefits. This influence would bolster several of William I's key initiatives, such as supporting the Washburn presidential candidacy in the United States. Washburn, backed by the Dutch, aimed to challenge both British and French interests, and Spanish backing would significantly enhance his prospects within the burgeoning American republic. However, the ultimate outcome remained uncertain.

A strategic partnership with Spain is absolutely crucial. Queen Isabella presents a far more manageable challenge than her British counterpart. King William IV's gaze swept across the assembled dignitaries, finally settling on Foreign Secretary Hesbet Feng. "Even I," he declared, his tone steely, "wouldn't flinch from employing… forceful persuasion." Ignoring the shocked reactions, William IV let out a weary sigh, his thoughts drifting to the scandalous rumors surrounding Queen Isabella – nine children, six from disparate unions, a persistent whisper from a past life that, though unsubstantiated, held a kernel of unsettling truth. Where there's smoke, there's fire; a proverb that resonated deeply. The Spanish Queen's personal life, he concluded, exhibited a distinct lack of… discretion. Or perhaps, an excess of it. This realization solidified his resolve: any matrimonial alliance involving his own offspring and Isabella's would be utterly unthinkable. The prospect of marital infidelity was simply too repellent. Meanwhile, in the opulent halls of London, William IV's actions were the subject of intense scrutiny, a sharp counterpoint to the deliberations unfolding in the Dutch Royal Palace of Amsterdam.

Queen Victoria and her Prime Minister, Lord Palmerston, locked gazes, their eyes burning with a shared intensity before turning their attention to the delicate situation in the Netherlands. Palmerston, a seasoned diplomat since his appointment as Foreign Secretary in 1830, had long championed the preservation of the Ottoman Empire, viewing it as a crucial counterweight in the great game of power between Britain and Russia. This strategy, however, proved to be a precarious tightrope walk, fraught with the potential for conflict, as evidenced by the simmering tensions that ignited the Crimean War. He perceived France as Britain's principal adversary, a threat across multiple fronts: Greece, Egypt (and its coveted Suez Canal), the Iberian Peninsula, and the Mediterranean. His unwavering belief in maintaining a balance of power in Europe led him to support Prussia's rise, mirroring Queen Victoria's own conviction. He envisioned a strengthened Prussia as a potent check against both France and Russia, especially considering the decaying state of Austria post-Metternich. This was a calculated gamble, a desperate attempt to shore up a crumbling European order. His ambitions extended to the burgeoning conflict in America. Palmerston audaciously sought to bolster the Southern Confederacy, hoping to exploit a potential victory by seizing a share of the North's industrial bounty. This audacious scheme, however, backfired spectacularly. American resistance to British interference triggered retaliatory tariffs, causing widespread unemployment and sparking considerable unrest among Britain's working class, thereby jeopardizing Palmerston's domestic standing. His long tenure as Foreign Secretary, beginning in 1830, had been defined by this ambitious yet perilous pursuit of British global dominance.

Upon Queen Victoria's ascension to the British throne in 1837, a period of unprecedented global influence commenced. A strategic alliance, unspoken yet potent, fueled a relentless pursuit of imperial expansion. This involved aggressive interventions in the Far East, the establishment of unchallenged naval dominance, and the ruthless monopolization of international commerce. The zenith of the British Empire, the so-called "Empire on which the Sun Never Sets," transcended mere territorial dominion. This era witnessed a flourishing of intellectual and artistic brilliance, marked by the scientific genius of a post-Newtonian Maxwell, the literary mastery of a post-Shakespearean Dickens, and the ascendance of progressive political figures like Gladstone. Lord Palmerston, a titan of diplomacy, further solidified Britain's global reach. While Palmerston's name might have remained obscure in the Far East, his pragmatic dictum reverberated across the globe: "The British Empire has neither perpetual friends nor perpetual enemies, only perpetual interests!" His remarkable career, spanning sixteen years as Foreign Secretary (commencing in 1830), culminated in two terms as Prime Minister (1855 and 1859), making him a towering figure across Europe. For three decades, Queen Victoria's foreign policy bore the indelible imprint of Palmerston's shrewd guidance. His strategies were both audacious and meticulously crafted, demonstrating an unparalleled mastery of geopolitical maneuvering. His diplomatic acumen, unrivaled across centuries of European statecraft, eclipsed even that of Metternich, the late Austrian Chancellor – except perhaps in 1859. Yet, a new era dawned, hinting at emerging rivals. Bismarck's rise presented a formidable challenge. Intriguing. But who else dares to contend with the Empire's might?