Chapter 295: Austria's Interests
"Oh, it's fine, let her stay busy. Tuscany is so far away, and it's not easy to make such a long trip," Joseph quickly smiled, politely declining. He was in Austria to take care of serious business, not to be distracted by a little girl.
Maria Ludovica was momentarily surprised but quickly smiled again. The French Prince was worried that Clementine might suffer from the long journey. Not only was her future son-in-law handsome, but he was also very considerate.
She was growing more and more pleased with him!
As Leopold II and his wife guided Joseph through the streets of Vienna towards Schönbrunn Palace, Joseph noticed that the city was very different from what he had imagined. There was no sense of peace or artistic atmosphere; the city was run-down, and although he saw a few street musicians, most of the sounds they produced were quite harsh.
The streets were filled with filth, comparable to Paris before its public toilets were renovated, but with the added "scenery" of garbage piles. Many street corners were half-blocked by trash.
What made Joseph most uncomfortable was the subtle hostility in the eyes of the people as they looked at the French Prince's carriage. This wasn't surprising, though. France and Austria had been fighting over dominance in Europe for hundreds of years, and the people of both nations had come to despise each other over the centuries.
Finally arriving at Schönbrunn Palace, the nobles who came to greet them displayed the expected level of enthusiasm and courtesy.
Despite his illness, Joseph II personally came to the palace entrance, supported by servants, to welcome his nephew.
Joseph quickly stepped forward to greet his uncle, gently pushing aside the servants to help him himself. He warmly said, "Your Majesty, my father often talks about how, if he weren't so tied up with state affairs, he would have visited you long ago. Oh, and my mother misses you very, very much. She asked me to bring many gifts for you—they're in the carriages behind us."
Maria Ludovica, who was following behind, twitched slightly at this. Huh? Weren't those gifts supposed to be for me?
Unaware of her thoughts, Joseph continued speaking to Joseph II, "My mother heard about the unrest in the Southern Netherlands and was worried you might be overworking yourself. She told me to make sure I help relieve some of your burdens."
Joseph II nodded appreciatively, trying to say something but was overcome by a fit of coughing. He simply gestured towards the banquet hall.
Following closely behind them, Austrian Foreign Minister Count Kaunitz overheard part of Joseph's conversation and quickly turned to the French Foreign Minister, speaking in flawless French, "Archbishop Talleyrand, does the Prince mean that France will send troops to support Austria in the Southern Netherlands?"
Count Kaunitz was one of the most pro-French members of the Austrian government—he vacationed in France for several months each year, and even his most expensive clothes were sent to Paris to be laundered, showcasing his genuine Parisian style. Naturally, he was most hopeful for French involvement in suppressing the rebellion in the Southern Netherlands.
Talleyrand immediately put on a sincere smile. "Indeed, Her Majesty the Queen is considering sending troops. However, as you know, with France's current financial troubles, we can't even gather the funds needed to mobilize a few hundred thousand soldiers."
"Vienna can provide the funds..."
Kaunitz had barely started before Talleyrand interrupted with a smile, "That's why Duke de Broglie suggested that France could offer logistical support to the Austrian army instead.
"Transporting supplies from Vienna to Brabant covers nearly a thousand kilometers—that's over 120 Austrian miles—and the transport costs would be enormous.
"We could supply from Verdun, which would be much easier."
Kaunitz's eyes lit up. In a war in the Southern Netherlands, Prussia's greatest advantage over Austria would be its shorter supply lines.
But if Austria received logistical support from France, Prussia's advantage would turn into a disadvantage—after all, France directly borders the Southern Netherlands!
Even without France sending troops, this level of support would be a huge advantage for Austria.
He immediately bowed slightly to Talleyrand. "Thank you, Your Majesty the Queen. She has made a decision that benefits both France and Austria greatly!"
Talleyrand, however, feigned concern. "But given France's dire financial situation, I'm worried that when the war in the Southern Netherlands drags on, we might run into issues with funding for military supplies... Those greedy merchants wouldn't even extend credit to the royal family."
Kaunitz quickly responded, "We cannot let Her Majesty bear the cost. Vienna will cover all the expenses for the supplies, at their purchase price, of course."
And so, without sending a single soldier, France secured a significant favor from Austria. As for the "purchase price," France could set it as they pleased—after all, it was bound to be cheaper than transporting goods all the way from Austria.
Inside the banquet hall, Kaunitz pulled Talleyrand to sit beside him, beginning to discuss the logistical support for the Southern Netherlands.
After a while, Kaunitz sighed, "Even with France's help, this expedition will probably strain the Empire's finances for a while..."
Talleyrand nodded in agreement. "Indeed, the overseas trade revenue from the Southern Netherlands has been steadily declining, making it less and less valuable for His Majesty the Emperor.
"Oh, by the way, if Duke Ottodórf of Bavaria is interested in the Southern Netherlands, perhaps this rebellion could be an opportunity to negotiate a territorial exchange with him?"
Kaunitz looked at him in surprise. This was indeed a strategic goal Austria had longed to achieve—compared to the distant Southern Netherlands, the wealthy lands of Bavaria, which bordered Austria, were far more desirable.
"But," Kaunitz frowned and shook his head, "I'm afraid Duke Ottodórf would never agree to such an exchange."
"On that point, I could help you persuade Duke Ottodórf," Talleyrand immediately offered.
Joseph had mentioned during their journey that Duke Ottodórf harbored dreams of restoring the Burgundian dynasty—not the Burgundy of present-day France, but the powerful Burgundy of the Middle Ages, which spanned from the Southern Netherlands to Mannheim.
Therefore, Ottodórf had long desired the Southern Netherlands, which would allow him to escape the constraints of the Holy Roman Empire's Electorate and pass the land to his illegitimate children—he had no legitimate heirs, only a host of illegitimate ones. For him, the Southern Netherlands was far more valuable than the wealthy land of Bavaria.
Kaunitz excitedly grabbed Talleyrand's hand. "Are you certain you can persuade him?"
"Yes, I'm quite confident in my persuasive abilities," Talleyrand nodded with a smile. "Moreover, if Austria and Bavaria reach an agreement to exchange territories, then the Southern Netherlands rebellion will become Bavaria's problem. Duke Ottodórf would certainly commit more troops to quelling the rebellion.
"After that, with shared interests, Austria and Bavaria could collaborate on even more endeavors."
He pointed north. "For instance, dealing with Saxony, or even advancing into Silesia!"
(End of Chapter)
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