NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 227: Chapter 227: Winds Rising Across Europe
Chapter 227: Winds Rising Across Europe
Topkapi Palace
Sultan Abdul Hamid I, sitting in a large square chair, tried to straighten his frail body with the help of the cushions but eventually gave up due to the weakness in his muscles. His long imprisonment before the age of 43 had left his health in a poor state, and now, at 64, he was showing signs of nearing the end of his life.
As the Grand Vizier Yusuf entered and bowed, the Sultan weakly asked in a voice that lacked strength, "Is there news from Maghreb?"
"Maghreb" is an Arabic term meaning "the land where the sun sets," used by early Arab settlers to refer to the central and western parts of North Africa.
Grand Vizier Yusuf, looking troubled, nodded. "Your Majesty, the Algerian Janissaries did indeed move on Sayyid's orders... He even used your name."
Abdul Hamid I sighed. "Where is he now?"
"His servant returned to Constantinople last night and reported that he threw himself into the Mediterranean half a month ago."
"He preserved the dignity of an imperial envoy."
Yusuf, still bowing his head, said, "Your Majesty, regarding the matter of Tunis joining France, what do you wish to do...?"
The Sultan's gaze fell to the patterns on the carpet, and he waved his hand again. "Send someone to France to express the Empire's stance on this matter."
He then added with some concern, "But don't be too harsh in your words. We need to focus our strength against the Russians."
Just a few days ago, the Russian commander, Potemkin, had divided his forces and launched a swift attack on the Ochakov fortress, capturing the key Black Sea stronghold within a few hours.
In the battle, Potemkin's forces killed or captured over 13,000 Ottoman soldiers, and their advance now threatened the Danube.
"Speaking of Russia," Abdul Hamid I glanced at Yusuf, "what are your plans to counter them?"
Although the Grand Vizier didn't directly oversee military matters, as the "Prime Minister" of the Ottoman Empire, he was well aware of military deployments.
"The situation isn't very promising..." Yusuf hesitated before continuing. "Austria and Russia are both reinforcing their armies. Our commanders believe we must do everything to prevent a Russo-Austrian union. The initial plan is to gather 150,000 troops by next summer, advance to the Danube region, gradually capture Bender and Akkerman, and cut off the link between Russia and Austria. After that, we will retake Ochakov."
"150,000 troops, huh." Abdul Hamid I nodded. "How confident are you in defeating the Russians?"
"Well, we have the advantage in numbers, so we should be able to win."
The Sultan gestured for Yusuf to come closer, leaned forward with some difficulty, and whispered, "If we can't win this time, find a way to negotiate peace with the Russians. Give up the northern shore of the Black Sea in exchange for peace..."
Joseph could never have imagined that his actions in North Africa would accelerate the collapse of Ottoman morale. Originally, the Ottoman Empire had fought to the last soldier, only giving up the northern shore of the Black Sea three years later due to exhaustion. But now, they had already lost the will to fight Russia to the end.
London
10 Downing Street
British Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger pushed the resignation letter back across the table and looked up at the Duke of Leeds. "There's no need for this. North Africa was never our sphere of influence, and luck was on the French side this time. Your strategy wasn't wrong. I'm confident I can protect you in Parliament."
"Hollis was acting under my orders, and he's dead now," the Duke of Leeds replied calmly, shaking his head. "Someone has to take responsibility for this, and it shouldn't be you."
Pitt fell silent. Hollis had been a member of the Whig Party, his political opposition. To cover up the diplomatic disaster of "inciting Tunis to attack the French," Hollis had "committed suicide." At the same time, the Duke of Leeds had spent nearly £700,000 in a failed attempt to prevent France from gaining control of Tunis. It was a significant failure.
The Whigs would undoubtedly use this series of events to attack him in Parliament. His position as Prime Minister was already precarious, and if this scandal grew, it could lead to his impeachment.
Pitt slowly lifted his fingers from the resignation letter, sighed, and asked, "So, who should replace you as Foreign Secretary?"
"The Marquis of Wellesley," the Duke of Leeds answered without hesitation. "He's young, like you, and full of strategy and decisiveness. Although his political experience is limited, I'll use my connections to fully support him."
Pitt nodded in agreement. The Marquis of Wellesley was one of his trusted allies and had proven to be capable. He had been considering promoting him for some time.
After a pause, Pitt looked at the Duke of Leeds again. "So, how do you suggest we counter the advantage France has gained in North Africa?"
The Duke of Leeds immediately shook his head. "Prime Minister, France is too close to Tunis, and they've already established a strong foothold there. Continuing to challenge them in that region would be a losing battle."
"Are you saying we should just accept defeat?"
"No! Quite the opposite. We must do everything in our power to knock France down and keep them down in the mud. That's the only way for Britain to remain strong!"
The Duke of Leeds smiled slyly. "North Africa is just a piece of fat; it's not worth getting too attached to. The Low Countries are the real chokehold! That's where we should concentrate our efforts to deliver a crippling blow to France."
The "Low Countries" referred to the region comprising the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
The Duke of Leeds then laid out his detailed strategy for the Low Countries to Pitt before continuing. "In addition, Russia and Prussia's ambitions are excellent weapons. You must find a way to unleash their full potential."
Pitt nodded thoughtfully. "We've always had close ties with Prussia. But Russia seems to have grown closer to France recently."
"Interests," the Duke of Leeds said, raising a finger. "Russia's primary interest right now is Poland. If you can feed Poland to Russia, that bear will be more than willing to tear everything apart."
The Duke of Leeds spoke as if giving his "political last words." "As for Austria, don't be fooled by the fact that they've married their daughters to the King of France. The real fault line in Europe lies between Austria and France!
"Remember, they've been archenemies for a hundred years."
Pitt nodded. "You're right. They have significant conflicts of interest in the Rhineland and Italy."
The Duke of Leeds gave him an approving look. "Prussia's rapid rise has drawn Austria's attention. If you can broker some understanding between Prussia and Austria, Austria will immediately start expanding west and south, leading to a fierce clash with France!"
Vienna, Austria
Schönbrunn Palace
Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria Joseph II smiled as he listened to his diplomats report on the situation in Tunis. "My dear sister has timed this perfectly."
He turned to an older man with a long face and large nose standing nearby. "The pressure we've placed on the Ottomans with Russia allowed my sister to pluck the fruit of Tunis. The Ottoman Sultan can only watch helplessly."
The old man, who wore a serious expression, nodded. "The Princess's political skills have indeed matured. Even the British can't say much about this since it would offend Russia and possibly us as well."
The "Princess" he referred to was Joseph II's sister, now Queen of France, Marie Antoinette. The man was a long-serving minister from the era of Maria Theresa, who had once held the young Marie in his arms, so his tone carried a certain affection.
Joseph II, clearly in a good mood, signaled for a servant to pour him a glass of wine, offering one to the old man as well. "Does this mean France's strategic focus has shifted to the southern Mediterranean?"
"It's possible, Your Majesty."
"Then we should seize this opportunity to congratulate my dear sister and discuss the situation in Italy. Prince Kaunitz-Rietberg, you've always had good relations with the French. Would you be willing to go to Versailles on my behalf?"
The old man, Kaunitz-Rietberg, was Austria's State Chancellor, equivalent to a Prime Minister, and was the man who had ended the century-old enmity between France and Austria. He was responsible for arranging Marie Antoinette's marriage to Louis XVI and had ultimately created the "Three Petticoats Alliance" between Austria, France, and Russia. Although Joseph II had reclaimed some of his power after assuming control, Kaunitz remained Austria's most influential minister.
Kaunitz immediately stood up, his expression solemn. "Your Majesty, with all due respect, Austria's national policy should remain firmly focused on the German-speaking regions and keeping a close watch on Prussia. Diverting our attention to Italy would only give Prussia more opportunities to expand its influence in Germany."
"No, this won't require much of our attention," Joseph II replied, stubborn as ever and resistant to differing opinions. "All you need to do is negotiate with France about dividing influence in Italy. We're not trying to take it all for ourselves.
"Oh, and while you're at it, discuss that 'United East India Company' proposal they're working on with the Dutch. I'm very interested in that. You could also talk about Austria investing in it."
"Your Majesty, I'd be happy to go to France," Kaunitz replied, bowing slightly but maintaining his firm tone. "But I must insist that Prussia remains our primary concern."
"Yes, Prussia, you're right. So, when do you plan to leave?"
"Tomorrow, Your Majesty."
"Very well. I look forward to your good news."
Saint Petersburg
Winter Palace
Count Alexei Bobrinsky, looking a bit nervous, bowed to his mother. For some reason, he always felt a bit anxious around her, despite her kind smile.
Catherine the Great gestured for him to sit beside her, smiling warmly. "Alyosha, I must admit, your earlier contacts with the French Prince were very timely."
In Russian, it's common to use shortened or affectionate versions of names for close acquaintances. "Alyosha" is a diminutive form of Alexei.
"Especially the 'Twin Trade Company' you established with them. Now that the French have secured a port in North Africa, your trade costs in the Mediterranean will be significantly reduced. Perhaps your company could even obtain some exclusive trading rights in Tunis."
Alexei nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty. Prince Joseph wrote to me, expressing his desire to double the company's trade volume."
"That much?"
"They've not only gained the Tunisian colony but have also eliminated the Tunisian pirates. Many of the nearly one hundred pirate ships they captured will become company assets, and they even have skilled sailors among the prisoners."
In reality, Joseph had seized nearly 160 ships in Tunis, though only about half were suitable for long voyages. As for the sailors, many of them had already been serving in the Tunisian navy, and now that the pirate leadership had been wiped out, these Berbers could be trusted after careful screening.
This acquisition increased the Twin Trade Company's shipping capacity by 150%, so Joseph felt confident in setting a goal of doubling the trade volume.
Every increase in Franco-Russian trade meant a corresponding decrease in Anglo-Russian trade, which would weaken the close trade relations between Britain and Russia.
"Oh, that's wonderful," Catherine the Great said, gesturing westward. "I think you should personally go to Paris to congratulate your friend, the Prince.
"You might also suggest that, in the wake of their great victory, they move to seize Algiers. I recall those foolish Algerians were the ones who initiated the attack against them."
She was more than happy to see France continue to strip the Ottoman Empire of its North African provinces. While the Ottomans had little direct control over these areas, losing these overseas territories would be a significant psychological blow.
This would make Russia's war against the Ottomans much easier.
And who knows? If France's advance went well, they might even end up directly threatening the Ottoman homeland from the south.
It's worth noting that dealing with a massive empire like the Ottoman Empire wasn't a matter of three or five years. In a prolonged conflict, it wasn't impossible for France to reach the southern shores of the Ottoman Empire.
"Yes, Your Majesty. I had been considering a trip to Paris soon anyway," Alexei replied. Although his focus was now on managing the Twin Trade Company, the allure of Paris's vibrant life was always on his mind.
Catherine the Great seemed to remember something and added, "Oh, and take Sasha with you. She's been eager to visit Paris. Just make sure she keeps up with her studies during the trip."
"Sasha" was a diminutive form of Alexandra.
In the past, Catherine wouldn't have trusted her favorite granddaughter to her irresponsible younger son. But over the past year, Alexei had matured significantly, so she felt confident he could handle taking care of Sasha.
Paris
Versailles Palace
The celebrations over North Africa continued at Versailles for three days before finally coming to an end.
Joan, Hirada, Isaac, and others quickly returned to Tunis, where a mountain of tasks awaited them.
Meanwhile, laughter echoed through the halls of Louis XVI's drawing room.
Queen Marie Antoinette was holding a beautifully painted ceramic pot, admiring it from all angles.
This was one of the "souvenirs" Joseph had brought her from North Africa, a treasure crafted by a Tunisian pottery master centuries ago.
Nearby, Louis XVI was examining the camel and crocodile leather gun cases his son had given him.
Tunisian leatherwork was exceptional, and masterpieces by top craftsmen were highly sought after in Europe.
But the happiest of all was Joseph's younger brother, Charles, who was playing gleefully with a colorful parrot.
(End of Chapter)
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