Start 1861: I Just Inherited the Dutch Throne

On February 10, 1866, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands announced that Queen Alexandra, who had just given birth to Prince Albert, the eldest son of William IV of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, less than three months ago, would convene the world's first International Women's League in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. The meeting was scheduled for February 25, 1866.

As soon as the news came out, people all over the world started talking about it.

Regarding this alliance, many people looked at the Netherlands with suspicion after knowing its purpose.

Because at present, the phenomenon of favoring boys over girls is very common all over the world, and everyone is used to the low status of women.

Now that the Netherlands suddenly comes out, including women in the Netherlands, they are full of doubts.

Is the new queen of the Netherlands just putting on a show? Just to attract attention?

Therefore, the royal families and governments of various countries are standing still and choosing to wait and see.

President Lincoln was originally hesitant to send anyone to participate.

After all, more than ten years ago in 1848, America held what was known as the world's largest march for women's rights.

It was a sensation all over the world at the time.

As they have been regarded as the vanguard of women's rights by women's freedom in various countries in the past, it seems that they would be unworthy of this title if they did not participate.

Secretary of State Seward, who has always opposed getting closer to the Netherlands, said: "President, I don't think it is necessary to participate. After all, it is as everyone has worried. If the Netherlands really does not play a role in this conference as everyone has guessed, Those who participate will become the laughing stock of all countries. Therefore, I do not agree that the Federal Republic of America should send personnel to participate."

As he finished speaking, several cabinet members who had close contacts with him also spoke out in support of Seward.

However, Secretary of the Interior Washburne and Chancellor of the Exchequer James Speed ​​blocked Secretary of State Seward's statement.

"This time the Queen of the Netherlands actually hosted such an International Women's Alliance conference, which is dominated by women. The Netherlands is now a close partner of our Northern Federal States. Your Excellency, the President, the Secretary of State and I have exactly the opposite idea, because currently no country has expressed its position. Next time, the relationship between us and the Netherlands will officially take a further step. After all, it is better to provide help in times of need than to add icing on the cake."

In response, Vice President Andrew Johnson sided with Washburn.

This is the recent evolution of the situation within the federal government of the United States. President Lincoln is not surprised by this, and is even secretly happy.

Because Seward was once relatively strong and belonged to the first faction in the cabinet, Lincoln could no longer suppress him.

This time, he joined forces with Vice President Andrew Johnson, the leader of the second largest faction in the cabinet government, and Washburn, the new third faction. It did maintain the balance of his cabinet government. Helps him take control.

Seeing Lincoln's expression change with Andrew Johnson's words, Seward knew the answer.

Sure enough, Lincoln finally decided to send someone to attend the meeting held by the Queen of the Netherlands. However, there was another dispute over the selection.

If they send someone with insufficient weight, it shows that they don't take it seriously, but if they want to send someone with enough weight, where can they find it?

After all, if you want to talk to Queen Alexandra and win over her to continue supporting the Lincoln government, you need someone who is not too different from her in terms of status.

In the end, Washburn believed that only someone equivalent to the head of state could represent the Commonwealth of America, and Lincoln's wife Mary Todd was the best candidate.

"I believe that ladies' diplomacy is also a kind of national diplomacy. Sometimes, they are more effective than formal diplomacy. Therefore, I think the participation of the president's wife represents all women in the Commonwealth of America, but it is the highest participation scale."

Hearing this, Lincoln nodded and agreed with this statement.

On February 11, 1866, the northern American Commonwealth announced, "We believe that the International Women's League is a good idea that can effectively improve the status of female compatriots. To this end, our President has decided to entrust his His wife, Mary Todd, represented the Commonwealth of Nations at the conference and also visited the Netherlands for a private talk with Queen Alexandra."

The Northern Federal State actually participated?

And Lincoln sent his wife to attend?

This news swept north and south of the Americas, and European countries were also shocked.

Seeing this, President Davis of the Confederate States held a cabinet government meeting that day, and finally decided to send his own wife, Valina Howell, President Davis's wife, to attend, unwilling to let the North dominate the front.

Even the United States, which was currently at war, sent its highest-ranking female representatives to participate, and other countries began to lose their hesitation.

Argentina, a country in South America that has good relations with the Kingdom of the Netherlands, also sent its own delegation, obviously wanting to take a step closer. Seeing this, other countries followed suit.

Even Brazilian Emperor Pedro II, who was originally at odds with the Netherlands because of his help to Portugal, sent his queen Teresa Cristina to attend the meeting to ease relations with the Netherlands.

However, because this queen is a princess from the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in Italy, it is still unknown how effective it will be.

The Americas were all mobilized, and Europe naturally followed suit at this time.

The meeting was attended by female members of European royal families, and even the warring North and South sides in the Americas sent female representatives.

For example, the British royal family sent two princesses, Princess Alice and Princess Louise, to participate on behalf of Queen Victoria, which was considered to be enough to give face to William IV of the Netherlands.

King Carl XV of Sweden was also very considerate. He sent his wife Queen Louisa from the Kingdom of the Netherlands back to her natal Netherlands to participate on behalf of Swedish women.

Queen Maria Alexandrovna of Alexander II of the Russian Empire also walked out of St. Petersburg. Participated on behalf of the Russian Empire.

Franz Joseph I also sent his wife to participate in the newly established Austro-Hungarian Empire, Queen Elisabeth Eugenia.

Other countries also sent delegations not to be far behind.

As European countries began to announce one by one that their countries had sent female representatives to attend the meeting in Amsterdam, everyone was shocked.

In particular, even King Rama IV of the Kingdom of Siam in the Far East sent one of his princesses to attend the meeting on his behalf, which was a sensation in Europe.

Some people even counted that this meeting included almost all countries in Europe and the United States. Out of curiosity or other reasons, everyone who attended the meeting participated with their own thoughts.

Many people even discovered later that this meeting was the one in which the most powerful women participated in the history of the International Women's League.

On February 25, 1866, with the world's attention, the young and beautiful Queen Alexandra gave a dignified and approachable speech at the conference, and was recognized by female representatives from all over the world.

After that, Queen Alexandra held separate meetings with female representatives from each country. At the meeting, she was gentle and elegant without losing the majesty of the royal family. With her good conversation, she actually became these women. Represents the object of admiration.

Therefore the Dutch Queen was respected by all.

The International Women's League thus fired the most important first shot, and the international community recognized its existence.

The International Women's League conference has ended, but the world's discussion of the conference has just begun.

The queen even surpassed her husband William IV in fame.

Became the most famous person in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

This made William IV smile bitterly.

However, in terms of soft power, the Netherlands, starting with the Queen, finally got off to a good start, which set a benchmark for the Netherlands to capture more of the Kingdom's culture in other aspects in the future.

“What will the Netherlands rely on to attract talents in the future? It’s not just about making money, and not just being away from the war right now, but it should also add something else. If the Netherlands needs to win the favor of talents from other countries, it must win their recognition of Dutch culture. The female culture promoted by Dutch Alexandra is enough to attract women around the world to think that the Netherlands is a paradise for women. We need to use this to establish more laws to protect women and protect women's rights, with the International Women's Alliance as a pioneer , the Netherlands is gradually improving it,"

William IV said to the members of the Privy Council: "If the Netherlands reaches the point of equality between men and women in the future, I believe that all women in the world will be willing to live here, and their partners will naturally be persuaded by them. And when the time comes, we will be able to selectively select immigrants, instead of hunting for talents as we do now."

William IV's words silenced everyone.

"All couples in the world are two people and half are women. If we can impress half of them, it proves that we have won 50% of the chance.

It is women who are pushing for this meeting to gain their peace of mind. Therefore, in the future, the Netherlands must introduce more policies and laws that are beneficial to women.

Dutch women have also benefited greatly from this, and this is what we will focus on in the future.”

William IV said to Prime Minister Tolbeck: "The government can formulate policies, for example, to promote women's participation in politics. It should start with local government."

Seeing the latter nodded.

William IV added: "In terms of further education, we can promote the same opportunities for women as male students. This will help both men and women know about women's equal rights from an early age and help reduce discrimination."

Tolbeck and others quickly took notes.

William IV said: "We can make up for the disadvantage of the Dutch population compared to other major countries. The Ministry of Interior must effectively deal with the issue of immigrants so that they will not want to leave once they come, and they will take root and become Dutch."

Interior Minister Jonrel nodded in agreement.

"As wars continue in Europe, there will be more immigrants, and the Netherlands should and must seize this opportunity to strengthen itself."

William IV said: “In troubled times, we must prepare for peace.”

"After these wars, war-weary countries will promote peaceful development after ending these wars. I estimate that the world may usher in decades of peaceful and stable development. At that time, countries will seek stability and will not leave easily. hometown.

Therefore, the time exposure for the Netherlands to capture these immigrants will become shorter and shorter. We hope to seize the opportunity and allow us to grow faster.

Just as William IV was about to continue speaking, there was a knock on the door of the Privy Council Room.

After the captain of the guard obtained permission from William IV, he hurried in and took a telegram in his hand.

After seeing this, William IV's face changed drastically and he sighed: "As I just said, our time is shorter, and now it is more urgent. Just now, great changes occurred within the Tsarist Empire, and the war in the Balkans may be over soon. "