Chapter 27: My Italy

"Why aren't you eating?" Talia asked with curiosity.

In truth, Franz was still too young to eat very much. Moreover, the woman before him was clearly a noble, yet she had absolutely no table manners. It was less a lack of ladylike grace and more a state of total disarray.

Franz was curious about Talia’s true identity, but he reasoned that she posed no threat to him—after all, Archduchess Sophie surely would have investigated her—so he replied nonchalantly, "I’m fattening it up before I eat it."

...

Emotionally speaking, Francis II was an "Italian."

He was born in Florence, in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, where he had spent his childhood and youth. His father was an exceptionally enlightened and benevolent monarch who, upon taking office, had immediately abolished all forms of torture and capital punishment, implemented a system of substitute military service, lowered taxes, and encouraged industry and commerce, thereby winning the devotion of the Tuscan people.

That was perhaps the time in Francis II's life when he felt most beloved by the people; as the future heir to the Grand Duchy, he could feel their warmth wherever he went.

Later, his uncle, Joseph II, faced fierce opposition from the nobility due to his radical reforms and eventually died in despair. Francis II’s father was forced to accept the crown of the Holy Roman Empire; upon arriving in Vienna, the family found themselves in a treacherous political landscape where anyone could be an enemy and no one could be fully trusted.

Two years after his father ascended the throne, he passed away suddenly, forcing Francis II to take the throne himself. Shortly thereafter, he encountered Napoleon—the bane of his existence.

One piece of tragic news followed another. Francis II was forced to dissolve the Holy Roman Empire, yet he never once took the coronation oath as Emperor of the Austrian Empire. Perhaps only Italy, only Tuscany, remained a sanctuary in the heart of Francis II.

Furthermore, Francis II’s daughter was the Duchess of Parma—the same Marie Louise whom he had married off to Napoleon. Francis II always felt he owed his daughter, and thus he turned a blind eye to her chaotic private life. This time, when Marie Louise sent envoys requesting that Austria build a railway to Parma, it certainly was not her own idea. It was likely one of her lovers, or perhaps the tax revenues of the Duchy of Parma could no longer sustain her expenditures. As for the rulers of the other Central Italian states, they were all kinsmen of Francis II, making them difficult to refuse.

From the perspective of family interests, Austria had operated in Italy for centuries, having fought France for a hundred years to maintain its influence, sacrificing countless soldiers and squandering immense wealth. Ignoring the requests of the Central Italian states would very likely drive them into the arms of France, Sardinia, or even the Bourbon Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

This was something Francis II could not accept under any circumstances. However, Central Italy at this moment was nothing more than a wretched land, devoid of everything but gangsters and refugees, with backward industry and agriculture incapable of self-sufficiency. The mountainous regions of Central Italy were both a barrier to building railways and a quagmire for governance. Opponents and insurgents could simply flee into the mountains, and even if an army of one hundred thousand were sent to suppress them, the campaign would inevitably end in failure.

Although the Congress of Vienna recognized the Central Italian region as being within the sphere of influence of the Austrian Empire, any attempt by Austria to annex the territory would not be tolerated by Britain, France, Russia, or Prussia.

Had it been the Francis II of the past, he would have ignored the requests of the Central Italian states and retreated into apathy. But now, after the Austrian Empire joined the German Customs Union, the entire nation was in a state of growing prosperity, which gave Francis II more confidence.

He decided to build the railway only as far as Parma; the other states could not have direct rail connections to Austria, but they could reach Austria via Parma. At the same time, he would open three ports, allowing the Central Italian states to engage in free trade with Austria while collecting only nominal tariffs. This would prevent giving Britain or France any excuse for interference without trapping Austria in a quagmire.

...

Metternich and Count Kolowrat both breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the Emperor’s decree. They had truly feared that the Emperor might act on impulse and push the entire country to the brink of war, or fall into his old habits of indifference, thereby losing the opportunity to secure the Central Italian region.

"Your Majesty is wise," Metternich said, seizing the initiative.

"A truly perfect plan," added Count Kolowrat.

Francis II, quite satisfied with his own plan, nodded repeatedly. At that moment, Friedrich List spoke up.

"Your Majesty, there is no need for Austria to use its own money."

"What do you mean?" Metternich countered. He felt that this down-and-out man from Württemberg was becoming increasingly insolent, constantly at odds with him lately.

Friedrich List turned to explain to Francis II: "I mean that we can lend money to the Central Italian states, having them use their tariffs and portions of their administrative authority as collateral. As far as I know, the rulers of the Central Italian states, unlike you, lack the art and capability of governance. We can use this to..."

Kolowrat immediately grasped the crux of the matter. "You mean we should send our people to take over the powers of the Central Italian states?"

"We would merely be exercising authority on their behalf. Once they have repaid their debts, we would return that authority to them. It is simply more efficient for us, the Austrian Empire, to govern them directly."

Friedrich List was truly considering this only from an economic standpoint, but to the ears of Count Kolowrat and Metternich, this was undoubtedly a magnificent conspiracy. It was common for European merchants to demand that princes and nobles use tariffs or tax-collection privileges as collateral.

"What a brilliant idea. We can also send military advisors to train their troops, so we won't need to send our own soldiers into Central Italy to suppress rebellions," Count Latour added. After all, no matter how powerful the Austrian army was, it would always be fighting on foreign soil in Central Italy; counter-insurgency was never a quick affair and required the long-term maintenance of a stable order. Training the locals to join the military would avoid this problem while simultaneously providing an opportunity to control the states' armies, thereby achieving effective rule over Central Italy.

"Are there any better suggestions?" Francis II asked.

"No." Friedrich List’s opinion was, at this moment, the most favorable course of action for the Austrian Empire.

"Then, very well. Metternich, you and Mr. List, as our nation's representatives, shall go and negotiate with the ambassadors of the Central Italian states. You must succeed in this; it concerns the future well-being of millions in Central Italy."

"I, Metternich, shall certainly not fail this mission," Metternich said, bowing with elegant precision.

After the imperial council concluded, Francis II patted the head of his grandson, who had been eavesdropping from behind, and whispered, "My Italy has returned."