Start 1861: I Just Inherited the Dutch Throne

How could the Netherlands help Prussia? Prussian Prime Minister Bismarck secretly visited the Netherlands. What kind of request did he prepare to make? Will William IV agree? If it agrees, what conditions will the Netherlands be prepared to impose after agreeing to support Prussia?

This is a question that people as far away as Wilhelm I in Berlin and Dutch Prime Minister Tolbeck in Amsterdam are thinking about.

The outcome of the secret negotiations between Wilhelm IV and Bismarck will have a major impact on Tolbek and Wilhelm I, whether for good or bad.

In the Royal Palace of the Netherlands, William IV asked Bismarck bluntly what he wanted from the Netherlands and what the Netherlands could gain. This was not surprising to Bismarck.

Bismarck: "In addition to the previously discussed Belgian ports, which can be temporarily leased to the Prussian Navy for docking, Prussia also needs to use His Majesty's Principality of Luxembourg."

Luxembourg?

William IV sneered in his heart, Bismarck had a good idea.

"Your Excellency actually has an idea for Luxembourg?" William IV stared at Bismarck for a long time. He did not directly veto it, but he also did not agree. He just asked: "I am curious, what can Prussia give me?"

Before 1700, Luxembourg was under the jurisdiction of the Spanish Habsburg dynasty. However, in 1700, the Spanish line of the family became extinct, and the Spanish Succession War broke out in 13 years, which eventually led to the Spanish Netherlands becoming part of Austria in 1714. The Busburg dynasty ruled this area until 1795 when it was ruled by the Austrian Empire until the French Revolution, when it was annexed by Napoleon I's France in 1795.

In 1813, a small part of the territory of Luxembourg was acquired by the Kingdom of Prussia. In 1815, Napoleon I was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo. After the Congress of Vienna, the new United Kingdom of the Netherlands was established, with the territory of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. The king was recognized by all countries as William I. (great-grandfather of William IV), Luxembourg and Belgium were elevated to Grand Duchy, with the King of the House of Nassau-Orange as Grand Duke.

Unlike the Netherlands, which was conquered by Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg was recognized as a member of the German Confederation in 1815. The Kingdom of Prussia still stationed troops there before. However, after Belgium seceded, under the strong request of William II and the fear of other countries, Prussia The troops were withdrawn and the Dutch troops moved in.

However, Britain also helped Belgium to win the western part of Luxembourg, which became Belgium's Luxembourg province. As a result, Luxembourg's territory only included the eastern part of the original Grand Duchy, which was only one-third of the original. It is far away from the mainland of the Netherlands, with the Netherlands to the north, Prussia to the east, and France to the south.

"The Principality of Luxembourg, as a principality of the Nassau-Orange family, has been the territory of our family since my great-grandfather." William IV sneered: "If Luxembourg agrees to let the Prussian army cross the border, it will undoubtedly declare to the world that the Netherlands The royal family has agreed to Prussia's war against France and has become Prussia's accomplice. The Netherlands has also been successfully tied onto Prussia's chariot.

This is no different from directly declaring war on the French Empire. I would like to ask the distinguished Lord Bismarck, the Netherlands has made such a huge bet, what is our return, I am really curious."

Bismarck never thought that Bismarck would be deceived by him and stand with Prussia in confusion. He also never thought that William IV did not know the strategic significance of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg's lending to Prussia.

Now William IV proposed that Prussia wanted to use Luxembourg at what price? He and William I had already expected it, so when faced with William IV's curiosity, he replied calmly: "After Prussia defeated the French Empire and took over the French Empire's overseas territories and colonies, we I am willing to let the Kingdom of the Netherlands choose any of these overseas territories and colonies as compensation."

As soon as Bismarck's condition came down, the eye sockets next to William IV's eyes were stretched to the extreme.

If the compensation mentioned by Bismarck is true, the price is not small. You must know that the French Empire currently has many overseas colonies.

France currently has Tunisia, Algeria, Mali, Gabon, and Cote d'Ivoire as its colonies in Africa.

The Far East contains South Vietnam, North Vietnam, central and eastern Cambodia, and southern Laos.

Owns St. Pierre and Miquelon in North America.

The Caribbean has the islands of Saint Martin, Martinique, and Saint Barthélemy.

French Guiana in South America.

In the Indian Ocean, there are the Kerguelen Islands in the south, the Mauritius Islands in the west, and the Oman region in the east on the Arabian Sea in the northern Indian Ocean not long ago. It can be said that although the area is not large, the vastness reflects the establishment of France's status as a global power. foundation.

If Prussia really takes over these colonies and territories after taking over France, then the Netherlands can choose among them at will, which is not a loss. After all, according to the course of history, Prussia will indeed defeat Napoleon III in the next war. The French Empire under the rule of Napoleon III will be defeated step by step. In the end, Napoleon III will have to surrender and be captured. And when France feels most humiliated, William I of Prussia actually declared the establishment of the German Empire directly as the victor at the French Royal Palace of Versailles. This represented the future status of Prussia and the German Empire replaced France as the hegemon on the European continent. From then on, France began to share power with Germany in Central and Western Europe.

In other words, if his Netherlands helps Prussia, it will surely make a profit without losing anything.

However, the French Empire may face a reckoning in the future, but that was also after the failure of the German Empire. If history is the same, it will be almost 50 years from now. Who knows how far the Netherlands has developed at that time.

Under its own leadership, will the Netherlands be afraid of the French Empire 50 years from now?

It seems that the Netherlands is not very afraid of the French Empire now.

In this case, it doesn't seem that difficult to accept Bismarck's proposal?

But even though he thought so, William IV's face showed no emotion.

Bismarck was extremely observant, but William IV hid it very well, and it was impossible to tell what William IV's attitude was.

For a long time, William IV seemed undecided and hesitated: "Are we really allowed to let the Netherlands choose one of the French overseas territories and colonies as compensation?"

Bismarck nodded.

William IV was unsure and asked again: "Including French overseas territories, not just colonies."

Bismarck was stunned for a moment, and then he came to his senses. The Dutch king in front of him seemed to be afraid of Prussia's trick, so he just let the Netherlands choose among the colonies?